A fresh round of deadly clashes has forced Turkey to step into fray and host high-level meetings with two rival Libyan leaders in a bid to de-escalate the tensions, Al-Monitor has learned. 

On Sept. 1 in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and spy chief Hakan Fidan met with two rival Libyan premiers — Fathi Bashagha, who was appointed as prime minister by the eastern-based parliament, and Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the head of the Tripoli-based government. Well-placed sources speaking on condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor that the talks at the Turkish intelligence headquarters were held separately as the two men even avoided staying at the same hotel. Libyan Central Bank Governor Siddiq al Kabeer accompanied Dbeibah during the visit.

The meetings came after deadly clashes between the rival forces rattled Tripoli last week, leaving 32 people dead and more than 150 wounded. While Bashagha’s visit has gone unpublicized, a photo leaked to the Libyan press showing Cavusoglu, Akar, Fidan and Dbeibah together has prompted speculations that Ankara threw its support behind Dbeibah in the ongoing power struggle. 

A Turkish source with close knowledge of the affair confirmed to Al-Monitor that Bashagha, who traveled to Istanbul from his stronghold in Sirte, left the meeting disgruntled.