Libya parliament seeks Egypt intervention

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar and the Libyan Parliament speaker Aguila Saleh arriving for a joint press conference in the capital Cairo.

Benghazi - The legislature authorised "Egyptian armed forces to intervene to protect the national security of Libya and Egypt

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By AFP

Published: Tue 14 Jul 2020, 1:32 PM

Last updated: Tue 14 Jul 2020, 3:58 PM

Libya's parliament has passed a motion authorising Egypt to intervene militarily if needed to safeguard the "national security" of both countries in light of what it termed a Turkish "occupation".
The eastern-based legislature backs military commander Khalifa Haftar, who launched a year-long campaign to seize the western capital Tripoli from a United Nations-recognised unity government.
In a resolution passed late Monday, the legislature in the eastern city of Tobruk authorised "Egyptian armed forces to intervene to protect the national security of Libya and Egypt if they see an imminent danger to both our countries".
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi warned last month that Egypt could send troops into Libya, after the unity government pushed back Haftar's forces from around Tripoli following months of stalemate.
Libya has seen years of violence since the ouster of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in a Nato-backed 2011 uprising, with the GNA and the eastern parliament, elected in 2014, vying for power.
Haftar launched an offensive in April 2019 to seize the capital, but the GNA took advantage of Turkish military support including drones to re-impose its control over Libya's northwest.
In its statement late Monday evening, the parliament said Libya and Egypt should work together "to guarantee the occupier's defeat and preserve our shared national security" in the face of "the dangers posed by the Turkish occupation".

AFP

Published: Tue 14 Jul 2020, 1:32 PM

Last updated: Tue 14 Jul 2020, 3:58 PM

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