Libyan commander Haftar is 'legionnaire’: Turkish president

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish president on Tuesday said Libya's renegade commander Khalifa Haftar did not have any official recognition either in war-weary country or the international community.

"Haftar is a legionnaire, a paid soldier," the Turkish leader said amid his news conference held in Senegal with his counterpart Macky Sall, and added he took refuge in the U.S. following his betrayal of then-leader Muammar Qaddafi.

He went on to say that Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) is recognized by the UN Security Council and one cannot put him in the same class as Haftar.

He noted that Haftar would take military steps thanks to the financial support provided by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.