Erdoğan calls Libyan renegade general Khalifa Haftar a "hired soldier"

Speaking at joint news conference with his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall on Tuesday, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed in his speech: "We cannot say that the Libya crisis can be solved in a day, because [putschist general Khalifa] Haftar is not interested in finding a peaceful solution."

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

Erdoğan pointed to that Renegade commander Khalifa Haftar had no official recognition either in Libya or international community.

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.

TURKEY MONITORING SITUATION IN IDLIB
Touching on Assad regime attacks on rebel-stronghold Idlib, Turkish leader also said: "We are closely monitoring the situation in Idlib with the hope of coming up with sustainable peace in the end."

On an official visit to African country of Senegal, Erdoğan said civilians were fleeing toward the Turkish border."

There is a movement toward our border. We have taken our measures," he said, adding that Turkey was building homes inside Syria for people fleeing Idlib.

ERDOĞAN THANKS SENEGAL FOR ITS ANTI-FETO EFFORTS
"With Senegal as the latest stop, I've visited a total of 28 countries in Africa, a continent where Turkey has taken a humanitarian approach," Erdoğan said as referring to the bilateral relations between Turkey and Senegal.

"Senegal is a country that understands our fight against FETÖ," Erdoğan also added as praising the African country for its efforts to struggle with the bloody-minded FETO terror group.