Turkey has recently introduced a new agreement with Libya. On the surface, it looks like a friendly plan to help Libya with police training and keeping people safe. But when you look closer, it seems more like a smart way to hide something much bigger: Turkey’s military presence in Libya.
This new deal is called a memorandum of understanding, or MoU. It was signed back in October 2024 but was only sent to the Turkish Parliament for approval on March 25, 2025. The MoU promises cooperation in many areas, like fighting terrorism, managing borders, handling elections safely, and stopping illegal drugs and weapons. It also talks about maritime security, migration control, and even protecting important people.
While all these goals sound good, experts and observers believe this MoU may actually be a way to cover up Turkey’s military operations in Libya. For years, Turkey has been accused of breaking United Nations (UN) rules by sending weapons, soldiers, and military training to groups inside Libya. Now, by calling these actions “law enforcement support,” Turkey might be trying to avoid getting into trouble under the same UN rules.
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Violations Hidden Under Friendly Words
The UN has strict rules that stop countries from sending military help to Libya. These rules are meant to keep peace and stop more fighting in the country, which has already suffered years of war. But Turkey has been caught ignoring these rules many times.
From December 2022 to August 2024, Turkey broke these rules at least 14 times, according to a UN report. Most of these violations were for military training provided to armed groups in Libya. The report also says that even if training is done outside Libya, it still breaks the rules if it’s for military purposes.
Turkey argues that its actions are legal because they are based on earlier agreements signed in 2012 and 2019. But the UN says these kinds of activities clearly go against Security Council Resolution 1970, which bans any military support to Libya.
The new MoU seems to be written in a way that closely copies the words used in the UN’s own rules. It highlights phrases like “public order,” “counterterrorism,” and “election security” — all of which are allowed under certain exceptions in the UN sanctions. These exceptions are only for helping civilians or stopping crimes like human trafficking. But many believe Turkey is using this language just to make military actions look harmless.
Secret Plans and a Pattern of Silence
The new agreement between Turkey and Libya is set to last for five years. It will continue automatically unless one side decides to end it. One of the most worrying parts of the MoU is a secrecy clause. This rule says that no details about the training programs — like what is taught, where it happens, or who is involved — can be shared with outsiders unless both countries agree in writing. This makes it very hard for the UN or other international groups to know what’s really going on.
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The MoU also allows Turkey to send its own teams to train Libyan forces whenever needed. These trainers are said to be “experts,” but there is no clear way to check whether their work is military or police-related.
Adding to the concern, Turkey has not been cooperative with the UN’s investigations. From November 2023 to October 2024, the UN sent 15 official letters to Turkey asking for explanations about its activities in Libya. Turkey answered only five of them and ignored the rest.
Apart from training, Turkey has also been accused of sending high-tech weapons, troops, and even foreign fighters — including mercenaries from Syria — to Libya. These actions have made the conflict worse and created more problems for peace and safety in the region.
Libya has been in chaos since 2011, after the fall of its former leader. Many groups have been fighting to take control, and foreign countries have become involved, choosing sides and sending support. Despite efforts to bring unity, Libya remains divided and unstable.
Now, as Turkey signs this new deal and changes how it presents its actions, many see it as a way to keep doing the same things under a different name — and without consequences.
