Defiant to intrenational condemnation and pressing concerns, Turkey's parliament has approved, moments ago, sending Turkish troops to Libya to help the Al-wefaq government in Tripoli in its battle with the Libyan National Army which seeks to liberate the capital from militias presence.
Turkish lawmakers were debating a motion at their emergency session for a one-year deployment. The government has not revealed details about the possible deployment, and the motion allows the government to decide on the scope, amount and timing of any mission by Turkish troops.
The move comes despite concerns that Turkish forces could worsen Libya's conflict further and plunge the country into violent chaos rivaling the 2011 conflict that ousted and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Al-Wefaq government led by Fayez Al-Sarraj, along with its supporters from militias, is facing a military challenge from the national army forces commanded by Gen. Khalifa Hifter.
Earlier last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Al- Sarraj requested the Turkish deployment, after he and Sarraj signed a military deal that allows Ankara to dispatch military experts and personnel to Libya.
That deal, along with a separate agreement on maritime boundaries between Turkey and Libya, has drawn international condemnation across the region and beyond.
On his part, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay told state-run Anadolu Agency that Turkey would send "the necessary number (of troops) whenever there is a need."
He added: "If the other side adopts a different stance and says 'Okay we are withdrawing, we are backing down,' then why would we go?."
Turkey's main opposition party, CHP, earlier said its lawmakers would vote against the motion because the deployment would embroil Turkey in another conflict and make it a party to the further "shedding of Muslim blood."
CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu called on the government to work for the establishment of a United Nations peacekeeping force in Libya.
"Turkey must take the lead for efforts to establish stability in the region and concentrate all diplomatic efforts in that direction," Kilicdaroglu tweeted.
A center-right opposition party also said earlier that its legislators would not back the motion.
However, Erdogan's ruling party is in an alliance with a nationalist party and the two hold sufficient votes for the motion to pass.
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