ANKARA (Reuters) – President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday Turkey will increase its support for Libya’s internationally recognised leader Fayez al Serraj and that the conflict there can only be resolved politically under the auspices of the United Nations.

In a news conference with Serraj in Ankara, Erdogan said that Turkey and Libya would also advance exploration and drilling for oil in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Erdogan said eastern commander Khalifa Haftar and his supporters are the biggest obstacle to peace. Haftar’s forces, backed by the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Egypt, have been attacking Tripoli since April 2019 but have been pushed back in recent months.