Turkey's foreign ministry spokesman said Monday that six Turkish nationals who were held by the Libyan National Army (LNA) have been released.
The spokesman said the six crew members of a ship were released, a day after Turkey vowed it would consider the forces of LNA commander Khalifa Haftar as "legitimate targets" if the Turkish nationals remained in detention.
The spokesman said those released wanted to keep working rather than return to Turkey. State-owned Anadolu agency said they were sailors after Turkey's defense ministry denied reports that the detainees included military personnel.
The LNA had earlier called Turkish assets in Libya "legitimate targets," accusing Turkey of helping rival militias allied with the Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj.
The LNA controls much of eastern and southern Libya. In April it launched an offensive to "liberate" Tripoli from the GNA-backed militias.
Haftar will start heavy air strikes on targets in the capital, one of his commanders said on Monday, urging residents to stay away from militia and military camps.
Commander Mohamed Manfour said the air campaign came after "traditional means" of war had been exhausted to "liberate" Tripoli.
