Turkey to send troops to Libya
Rahshan Saglam
Press TV, Istanbul
Turkish Parliament passed a bill on Thursday allowing a troop deployment to Libya.
The lawmakers granted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a one-year mandate for the deployment.
Ankara will now decide on the scope, amount and timing of the deployment.
The Turkish troops will fight alongside the UN-recognized Libyan Government of National Accord, GNA, headed by Fayez Al-Sarraj.
The GNA has been under sustained attack by forces loyal to renegade General Khalifa Haftar who backs a rival administration based in eastern Libya.
Critics say the move could aggravate Libya’s conflict and further destabilize the region. However, the Turkish government says it is trying to protect its interests in the Mediterranean after regional countries tried to stand in its way.
The Turkish president’s office confirmed last month that Fayez Al-Sarraj had requested the deployment after both sides signed a military cooperation agreement.
Turkey’s decision to send troops to Libya has infuriated some Arab countries including Egypt which support Haftar’s assault on Tripoli. In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry condemned the decision, calling on the international community to urgently respond to the move.
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