Frailty of Libya Accord on Display In Merkel-Erdogan Squabble

  • Turkish leader throws truce into doubt with Haftar accusation
  • Merkel says despite violations, leaders must move on Libya
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Angela Merkel shake after a joint news conference on Jan. 24.Photographer: Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan blasted a five-day-old agreement to halt fighting in Libya as he squabbled with Chancellor Angela Merkel in public over the viability of the accord.

One of the two main Libyan combatants, Khalifa Haftar has failed to commit to a truce and should be shunned by leaders who gathered in Berlin last Sunday to work toward a more durable cease-fire in the North African country’s civil war, Erdogan said.