Libya and Türkiye Deepen Defence Dialogue with High-Level Military Engagements
By Bosphorus News Staf
Senior Libyan and Turkish military officials have held a series of high-level meetings aimed at expanding defence cooperation, according to official statements from Tripoli and Ankara.
On 17 February 2026, Libya’s Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, met his Turkish counterpart to discuss defence cooperation, including training, capacity building, technical expertise exchange and institutional coordination. The talks form part of ongoing military contacts conducted under existing bilateral agreements.
The February meeting followed earlier discussions on 24 July 2025, when Libya’s military intelligence chief, Major General Mahmoud Hamza, held talks with senior Turkish defence officials during the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF 2025) in Istanbul. Participants included Türkiye’s Chief of General Staff General Metin Gürak, the head of Turkish Military Intelligence and senior officials from the Defence Industries Authority, alongside representatives of leading Turkish defence firms. The sides reviewed practical areas of cooperation, including training, technical exchange and potential joint initiatives.
Institutional cooperation was formalised on 10 July 2025, when Libya’s Government of National Unity and Türkiye signed a defence cooperation agreement in Ankara. The accord covers advanced military training, technical expertise exchange and logistical support aimed at strengthening Libya’s armed forces. The Turkish Ministry of National Defence confirmed the signing of a memorandum of understanding during the visit of Libya’s acting defence minister.
Diplomatic engagement has accompanied these military contacts. On 29 January 2026, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Libya’s Deputy Defence Minister Abdul Salam Al-Zoubi in Ankara to discuss training and institutional coordination.
The expanding military dialogue also coincides with developments in defence industrial cooperation. On 14 February 2026, Libya’s Military Industrialisation Organisation announced a strategic agreement with a Turkish defence firm to rehabilitate military factories and localise maintenance services. The arrangement includes technical training and infrastructure modernisation aimed at strengthening domestic production capacity, though detailed documentation has not been released by central authorities in either country.
Türkiye’s military presence in Libya continues under a parliamentary mandate extended annually since 2020. While no new comprehensive treaty has been announced beyond the July 2025 agreement, recent engagements at military, diplomatic and industrial levels point to sustained coordination between the two countries and their respective defence establishments.