Haftar's team pays visit to Syrian regime officials

DAMASCUS

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, third right, meets with officials from Libya's east-based government, in Damascus, Syria, on March 1, 2020. (SANA via AP)

A committee formed by Libya's renegade commander Khalifa Haftar visited Syria to meet officials of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

According to the eastern Benghazi-based Al Marsad online newspaper, the Libyan committee that visited Damascus on Feb. 29 included Haftar’s illegitimate government's Vice President Abdurrahman al-Ahirash, Foreign Relations and International Aid Minister Abdullah, Defense Minister Younes Farhan and intelligence chief Mustafa al-Mukaran.

It was stated that during the visit, politics, security and intelligence sharing would be on the agenda, along with "Turkey's operations".

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad received the Libyan committee.

They also signed a memorandum of understanding to reopen diplomatic missions, according to a report.

Turkey backs the Tripoli-based government and also backs the Syrian opposition fighting against Assad.

The United Nations recognizes the Turkey-backed government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, as Libya's legitimate government.