Turkish lawmakers authorize sending troops to fight in Libya
Turkey’s parliament on Thursday authorized the deployment of troops to Libya to support the United Nations-backed government in Tripoli that is battling forces loyal to a rival government seeking to capture the capital.
Erkan Bas, a lawmaker of the opposition Workers’ Party, shows a map of divided Libya before Turkey’s parliament authorized the deployment of troops to that country.Soon after Turkey’s parliament authorized the deployment of troops, Libya’s forces based in the country’s east said they had called on citizens to take up arms against Turkish troops if they deploy to fight against the forces in the country’s ongoing civil war.Haftar, said it was the people’s “duty” to fight to protect the homeland.
“A Libya whose legal government is under threat can spread instability to Turkey,” ruling party legislator Ismet Yilmaz argued in defense of the motion. “Those who shy away from taking steps on grounds that there is a risk will throw our children into a greater danger.” Egypt’s Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest language” the Turkish parliament’s authorization to deploy troops, saying Turkey would carry full responsibility for the negative effect it would have on the stability of the Mediterranean region.The leaders of Greece, Israel and Cyprus denounced the Turkish move as a “dangerous threat to regional stability“ and a “dangerous escalation” of the Libyan conflict that violates U.N. resolutions and undermines international peace efforts.
Numan Kurtulmus, deputy chairman of Turkey’s ruling party, welcomed parliament’s vote, telling CNN Turk television the outcome “will ensure that the legal government in Libya remains in place and Turkey’s natural rights [in the Mediterranean] are maintained.” He said the vote does not mean that “troops will be quickly sent tomorrow to conduct operations.”
Before the vote, CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu called on the government to work for the establishment of a U.N. peacekeeping force in Libya.
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