Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalin has met the Libyan National Army Commander Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi, a day after a Turkish navy vessel docked at the port of Benghazi.

Kalin also held talks with the Deputy Commander of the Libyan National Army Saddam Haftar.

Military delegations from Türkiye and Libya held a meeting as part of the TCG Kinaliada ship’s visit to Benghazi Port, the Turkish National Defence Ministry said Monday.

A Turkish National Defence Ministry delegation, led by Major General Ilkay Altindag, paid a visit to Haftar, the deputy commander of the Libyan National Army, the ministry said on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

Holding elections

The talks focused on potential joint efforts under the goal of “One Libya, One Army.”

Guven Begec, the Turkish ambassador to Libya, and Serkan Kiramanlioglu, the consul general of Türkiye in Benghazi, also participated in the meeting.

Haftar also paid a visit to the TCG Kinaliada ship.

For years, the UN mission in Libya has led efforts to unify the military through the “5+5” Joint Military Commission, which includes five officers from the west and five from Haftar’s forces in the east.

The UN is also mediating separate talks aimed at holding elections to break the political deadlock between two rival administrations.

Libyans hope that the long-delayed elections will bring an end to years of political division and conflict, closing the chapter on the transitional period that began with Muammar Gaddafi's overthrow in 2011.