Turkey Parliament to Hear Motion on Libya Deployment

Turkey's presidency sent a motion to parliament on Monday to approve a military deployment in support of the UN-backed government in Libya, a close ally of Turkey against regional rivals. 

The motion, signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will be heard at a special session of parliament on Thursday, state news agency Anadolu reported. 

It follows a security and military cooperation agreement signed in late November during a visit to Turkey by the head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj.

On Friday, Erdogan's office confirmed a request for military support had been received from the GNA.

Libya has become a theater for proxy conflict between regional powers since the fall of dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. 

Turkey's staunchest rivals, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, back General Khalifa Haftar who launched an offensive against the Tripoli-based government in April.