Libya's UN-backed leader to visit Turkey on Sunday

The head of the UN-recognised government in Libya will pay a visit to Turkey on Sunday, local media reported on Saturday evening.

According to the state-run Anadolu agency, Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), is expected to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, Xinhua news agency reported.

The North African country has been torn by a raging civil war between the GNA based in the capital Tripoli and the Libyan National Army and its allies based in the east.

Following a meeting in Istanbul on Wednesday, Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin called on all parties in Libya for the establishment of an immediate cease-fire as of January 12.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday said Ankara expects Moscow to convince Khalifa Haftar, commander of Libyan National Army, to comply with the cease-fire.

Cavusoglu added that Ankara has done its part by persuading the GNA for the truce.

Ankara and the GNA had signed a security and military cooperation agreements as well as a controversial maritime boundary memorandum at the end of November.

Last week, Erdogan said that Turkey is "gradually" sending troops to Libya in line with the deal.