Türkiye Opens New Channel with Haftar in Benghazi

Türkiye has entered a new phase in its relations with Libya. The face-to-face meeting between National Intelligence Organization Director İbrahim Kalın and Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi reopened a channel that had long been closed. The meeting signals Ankara’s intention to deepen contacts with eastern Libya while maintaining support for the Tripoli-based government. It also comes amid increased military and diplomatic activity. In the same week, the Turkish Navy’s TCG Kınalıada corvette visited the Port of Benghazi. Military delegations from both sides held talks during that stop.

The meeting took place on August 25, 2025. NTV reported that Kalın met Haftar in Benghazi, marking the first high-level contact between Ankara and Benghazi in years. The channel stated officials from Haftar’s Libyan National Army were also present.

The sequence of contacts, as reported by Daily Sabah, included a port visit by the Turkish Navy. The paper reported that the Defense Ministry’s TCG Kınalıada docked in Benghazi, with military delegations from Libya and Turkey meeting during the visit. The Turkish commander, Lieutenant General İlkay Altındağ, and the Libyan commander, Saddam Haftar, son of Haftar, visited the TCG Kınalıada. The sources presented this visit as part of the objective of "One Libya, One Army".

TRT Global highlighted the timing of this meeting. The report pointed out that the meeting occurred after the warship had visited Benghazi and discussions with delegations had taken place. This circumstance also pointed to Türkiye's diplomatic footprint both in Tripoli and Benghazi. The Turkish Government conveyed the message of the 'one army' track through the UN's 5+5 Joint Military Commission. The context illustrates that the contacts have collective aspirations, embedding unity in an institutional course, not simply in bilateral gestures.

The timeliness of the political calendar was evaluated as another strategic move for the Turkish government. Daily Sabah referenced President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's hosting of Abdulhamid Dibeybe, prime minister of the National Unity Government, at Dolmabahçe Palace on August 1 as a progressive move for the Turkish side to increase their involvement in North African geopolitics. The reference is important as it demonstrates that Ankara is keeping close coordination with western Libya while also engaging in dialogues with the east. Türkiye is practically moving on two tracks.

DW Türkçe described the process as a "step-by-step rapprochement with Haftar." Since 2020, Ankara has moved on from a diplomacy with Libya that had an open conflict risk to maintaining balance on the ground.

The Eastern Mediterranean dimension of this is still open. The Greece-based Kathimerini connected the Kalın–Haftar contact to claims that Ankara is squeezing its eastern flank in Libya, aiming to approve the Türkiye–Libya maritime jurisdiction agreement. The paper reasoned that such an approval could allow Türkiye to undertake seismic research in the maritime space between Crete and Libya. This analysis is regional in nature and depends on internal legal and procedural debates in Libya, as well as the distribution of power among its rival institutions.

On the ground, the pattern is more evident. Ankara continues to bolster its security and advisory relations with Tripoli while simultaneously pursuing steps to build confidence with the eastern camp. Military training, naval cooperation, and port visits are the visible instruments. Moreover, the "one army" phrase also indicates a plan to reduce internal divisions. Whether that intent turns into practice will depend on negotiations among Libya’s competing bodies and the stances of external actors. For now, the process remains fragile.

The potential alterations of the implementations could be analyzed in three categories. The first is institutionalizing military discussions. A timeline of joint exercises, training, and increased port calls would demonstrate momentum. The second area is energy and maritime jurisdiction. If the approval scenario noted by Kathimerini moves forward, it could create either a new line of tension or a new negotiation format in the Eastern Mediterranean. The third area is the election and unity agenda. If the single-army goal has clear steps laid out in a roadmap guided through the UN's 5+5 Commission, that could relieve pressure on the security architecture.

Overall, the Kalın–Haftar meeting should be evaluated as a major step in solidifying Türkiye’s presence in North Africa. The navy’s visit and the delegation talks reinforce the security pillar, while the maritime file adds the most sensitive geopolitical weight. The next steps will show whether this turn leads to lasting coordination or remains a limited confidence-building exercise.

Written by: Ibrahim Alparslan Ekmekci

Edited by: Defne Taykurt