Turkish President Announces to Send Military Forces to Protect Tripoli Government in Raging Civil War in North African State
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a meeting with army officers // Photo: IP
Turkish President Recipe Taipei Erdogan announced on Thursday that his country would send military forces to assist the Libyan government, based in Tripoli, at the government's request.
The national consensus government, recognized by most world countries and international institutions, controls a narrow strip around the capital and is under attack by General Sufi Hafter, whose government sits in the country's second largest city, Benghazi.
Erdoğan, referring to the support of Egypt and Saudi Arabia in Haftar, said: "Libya is under foreign invasion. So I agreed to intervene there, with the agreement of the local government."
The Turkish president has announced that he will seek parliamentary approval for the military operation and that parliamentary proceedings will end next month, following the opening of parliament's winter session in Ankara.
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Tripoli's Interior Minister Fatehi Bashaga said earlier this week: "If the situation escalates, we must do everything we can to protect Tripoli and its residents.
Turkey and Tripoli signed an agreement last week to develop the natural gas reservoirs and lay gas pipelines in Libya, an area that has been widely criticized in Greece and Cyprus. Now Erdogan is also seeking to protect his country's economic interests in Libya, while Huffter's forces have been able to advance on several fronts this week and undermine the security of the Tripoli government.
Meanwhile, the Ankara court announced today that closing the Wikipedia website in the state is illegal and that it violates the freedom of expression of the nationals. Turkey blocked the website in 2017, claiming it launched the "Dawn Campaign" against it and against Erdogan.
