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Haftar Parliament Authorizes Egyptian Military Intervention in Libya

VOA News

   Libya'seastern-basedparliament has passed aresolutionapproving Egypt's
   direct militaryinterventionto counterTurkey's
   backingoftheinternationally recognizedgovernment in Tripoli.

   The action passed lateMondayauthorized"Egyptian armed forces to
   intervene to protect the national security of Libya and Egypt if they
   see an imminent danger to both our countries."

   It accuses Turkey of invading and occupying Libya through its support
   of the Tripoliadministration.

   Egyptian President AbdelFattah el-Sisi said last month he could send
   troops into Libya,and Egypt's military has said it had carried out
   exercisesinvolvingspecial forces and the navy because of the "severe
   and rapid changes" in the region.

   Egyptsaidit isconcernedover a renewed assault by
   Turkish-backedLibyanforces on the keycoastalcity of Sirte, which is
   thegatewayto Libyan oil terminals.

   General KhalifaHaftar's eastern-basedLibyanNational Army took control
   of Sirte in Januaryand has imposed a blockade on Libyan oil exports.

   Along withEgypt, Russia and theUnitedArab Emirates back the LNA,while
   Turkey hasbeen supportingPrimeMinister Fayez al-Sarraj'sGovernment of
   National Accordinthecivil war with theLNA.

   Libya has been split between
   rivalgovernmentssincelongtimedictatorMoammar Gadhafi was toppled and
   killed in 2011.

   U.N.efforts to bring peace and new elections to Libya have failed,as
   well as EU demands that all foreign countries stopintervening in the
   civil war.

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