ANKARA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The head of Türkiye's Intelligence Organization, Ibrahim Kalin, visited Tripoli, Libya, on Thursday amid the country's ongoing armed conflict and political instability, according to Turkish media reports.
During the visit, Kalin held talks with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, Libyan Presidential Council Vice Presidents Abdullah Al-Lafi and Musa al-Koni, and other high-ranking officials from the western-based government, the reports said on Friday.
In these talks, Kalin called for resolving Libya's internal conflict through conciliation and dialogue and expressed support for continued de-escalation, which he said is vital for Libya's future.
The two sides discussed bilateral ties and common interests, pledging to deepen strategic and security cooperation, the reports said.
They also addressed developments in the Gaza Strip and the wider Middle East region, emphasizing the need for joint action to protect civilians and prevent more severe humanitarian crises, the reports added.
Türkiye has been providing political and military support to the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, which is opposed by a rival administration in the east.
Oil-rich Libya has struggled with fragmentation since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with the country essentially divided between a UN-recognized western-based government in Tripoli, supported by the Libyan Presidential Council, and an eastern-based rival administration in Benghazi, led by self-styled Libyan National Army General Khalifa Haftar and backed by the House of Representatives.
Kalin's visit came about a week after the eastern-based government announced the closure of all oil fields and ports under its control, following a decision by the western-based government to replace the Central Bank governor, which was rejected by the eastern side. ■