Turkey’s parliament is expected to authorize President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday to order the deployment of troops to Libya to back the UN-recognized government against rival forces, deepening a proxy war that’s drawn in Russia and regional powers. Erdogan’s AK Party and its nationalist ally, MHP, control a majority in Turkey’s parliament, so approval is all but assured. Turkey’s involvement could complicate international efforts to end the divisions that have roiled the country since the overthrow of strongman Moammar Qaddafi in 2011. The plan to deploy Turkish forces in Libya is aimed “eliminating attacks on interests of Turkey and Libya by illegal armed groups and terrorist organizations,” the text of the mandate said. How the Battle for Libya Has Become a Proxy Conflict: QuickTakeTurkey is ready to send its navy to protect Tripoli, while its troops train and coordinate Sarraj’s forces, according to a senior Turkish official.

Source: National Post January 02, 2020 15:22 UTC