The Information Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Interim Government said that the minister’s speech before the Italian Parliament touched on the government’s consistent stance towards all mercenaries on Libyan soil, without exception or specification.
They added that what was reported by the media about her speech was not correct, in reference to what was reported by the Italian Aki agency, which published a statement by the ministry confirming its determination to get Turkey out of Libya.
This statement came after an attack from activists in social media regarding the statement, stressing that the Turkish forces came according to an agreement signed between the two countries and not up to the government to address it.
Al-Manqoush’s description of the Turkish forces as mercenaries is the first description by a Libyan government official of these forces that came to help the Libyan army repel the aggression of Haftar and his mercenaries against the capital, Tripoli.