Erdogan wants an Islamic Emirate in Libya – Egyptian researcher
Libya (North Press) – Egyptian writer and researcher on Islamic Groups Monir Adib said on Monday that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, seeks to establish an Islamic State on the Egyptian border inside Libya.
Adib's words came in a special statement to North Press in which he described the situation in Libya and the reason for hostilities between Turkey, Egypt and some Gulf countries regarding this issue.
Ottoman trust
He pointed out that “Maybe Erdogan seeks to revive his ancestral legacy and take control over the region that used to be under the control of Ottoman Empire.”
He referred to Libya as an “Ottoman trust,” adding that “lots of Libyans have Turkish and the Ottoman origins, and here he wants to get the ambition of his ancestors back. "
These ambitions and expansions needed a military intervention, which he applied through establishing military bases, sending officials and fighters to Libya, and sending mercenaries to fight in Libya on behalf of Turkey; the goal is to occupy Libya militarily and make political decisions in Libya."
The civil war in Libya began in 2014 between two rival factions – the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR), which is militarily supported by the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and the UN-recognized, Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), led by Prime Minister Fayad al-Sarraj.
Days ago, Erdogan described Egyptian movement in Libya as illegal, saying that “Egypt’s movements in Libya and its support of…Khalifa Haftar are illegal.”
Adib added that “Erdogan speaks in the name of the so-called Government of National Accord and attacks everyone who calls to support the Libyan National Army (LNA) inside Libya, which could be the reason for hostility between Turkey, Egypt, and the Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates).”
“Erdogan seeks to establish an Islamic State on the Egyptian border inside Libya,” Adib said.
Days ago, the Pentagon issued a report which revealed that Turkey offered money and Turkish citizenship to thousands of (mostly Syrian) mercenaries to fight in Libya; it sent about 3,800 mercenaries earlier this year.
Political Islam
Adib clarified that after US President Donald Trump announced the defeat of ISIS on March 22, 2019, the political Islam project in the area came under threat. The project also fell in Egypt after the civil revolution on June 30, 2013, and in Sudan with the fall of Omar Bashir.
“[Erdogan] started to search for alternatives to form this Empire; he brought Syrian mercenaries as he promised to offer them the Turkish citizenship and a large amount of money. He brought children and those in need, and the majority were radicalized while fighting in Syria.”
He added that “Turkish occupation is not only seen in Libya, but also through Turkish military attacks on Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the occupation of Afrin in north Syria, and the military operations that it previously carried out…they aim to re-establish the old Turkish state and take control over Arab regions.”
Two concepts of a state
Monir Adib mentioned that “there are two concepts for a state: the concept of a nation-state that might be represented by major Arab states and capitals, which is the idea of preserving the concept of the state and society. There is another project to support violent and extremist groups, or the project of political Islam, which Turkey represents.”
In Adib’s opinion, Turkey utilized these extremist organizations in Iraq and Syria, and most of them entered Syria through Turkey and carried out terrorist operations that the world witnessed for many years. They were treated in Turkish hospitals and heavily invested in, while oil that was under the control of these organizations in Raqqa was sold to Turkish companies. According to Adib, what is happening in Libya is an extension of support to the political Islam project the world witnessed in Raqqa and Mosul.