Turkey announces the start of oil drilling on Libyan coast within three months

North-Press Agency

On Friday, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmaz said that Turkey will start drilling for oil on the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean within three months, according to the official Turkish Anadolu Agency.

The Turkish minister added that the al-Qanoni ship will operate within the Mediterranean for the first time after it is upgraded, "according to the agreement with Libya," in reference to the Libyan Government of National Accord.

Turkey is strongly invested in the Libyan conflict, supporting the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord against the Libyan National Army, and has also transferred thousands of Syrian mercenaries from its Turkish-backed armed opposition groups to Libya, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A spokesman for European Union Foreign Minister Josep Borrell considered Turkey's efforts to initiate new exploration operations for oil in the eastern Mediterranean a threat to regional stability and security, in a statement earlier this year.