What Fidan's Benghazi handshake means for Libya

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's recent visit to Benghazi and his meeting with Libyan National Army deputy commander Saddam Haftar, followed by a meeting with Khalifa Haftar, underscores Türkiye's strategic engagement with eastern Libya. This public meeting at Haftar's headquarters marks a significant diplomatic move, especially given Türkiye's previous role in opposing Haftar's 2019-2020 offensive.

The timing of Fidan's visit was particularly sensitive, occurring just two days after the assassination of Maj. Gen. Fawzi al-Mansouri, the director of military intelligence under Haftar's command. The car bomb attack in Benghazi exposed vulnerabilities within Haftar's security apparatus, yet Fidan proceeded with his planned engagements, signaling Ankara's commitment to dialogue regardless of regional instability.

Fidan's presence conveyed Türkiye's willingness to discuss cooperation in areas such as intelligence sharing, border surveillance, military training, and institutional unification with the eastern command, which is facing renewed security challenges. This engagement follows a recent security project agreement where a Turkish company is implementing a land-border management system for Haftar's forces, aimed at combating illicit trafficking and migration.

Ankara's channel to Haftar's administration was established the previous year and has seen continued high-level contact, including meetings focused on preserving peace and fostering closer ties between Libya's rival administrations and military structures. Türkiye's strategy appears to be maintaining active communication lines with both eastern and western Libya to play a role in shaping the country's future political order, military landscape, and the distribution of its vital resources.