Turkey speeds up Libya troop deployment deal to prevent slide into ‘chaos’

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a news conference in Ankara. (File photo: Reuters)

Turkey’s foreign minister warned that the Libyan conflict risks sliding into chaos and becoming the next Syria, as he sought to speed up legislation to allow it to send troops to the North African country.

Libya’sUN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli has been struggling to fend off Libyan General Khalifa Haftar’s forces.

“If today Libya becomes like Syria, then the turn will come for the other countries in the region,” Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday at a meeting of the governing AK Party.

“We need to do whatever is needed to prevent Libya from being divided and slide into chaos, and that is what we are doing. It is the legitimate government there that we deal with,” he said, stressing the military and security deal signed with Libya is important.

Cavusoglu will meet with three opposition party leaders on Monday and the government is expected to discuss the motion within the coming week.

Content retrieved from: https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2019/12/29/Turkey-speeds-up-Libya-troop-deployment-deal-to-prevent-slide-into-chaos-.html.