Turkey's foreign ministry warned on Sunday that it would deem the forces of Libyan General Khalifa Haftar legitimate targets if their attacks on its interests and diplomatic missions in Libya continued.

Turkey backs Libya's internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and views Haftar's forces as "putschists". In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that "if our missions and our interests in Libya are targeted, we will deem Haftar's forces legitimate targets."

It also said the attacks on Tripoli's Mitiga airport early on Saturday, part of an intensified barrage of artillery fire on the capital, were war crimes. On Thursday, Turkey and Italy said the area around their embassies in Tripoli was shelled.