Libya’s pro-Haftar parliament rejects MoUs with Turkey, urges for cutting ties with Ankara

BY Libyan Express Jan 04, 2020 - 20:57

Libyan Parliament in Tobruk. [Photo: Internet]

Libya’s parliament has voted by 38 members present out of 200 against deals on security and maritime cooperation the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli signed with Turkey, days after Turkish legislators approved a troop deployment to Libya.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fayez Al-Sarraj, the head of Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), signed the two controversial deals at a meeting in Istanbul in November.

On Saturday the House of Representatives, which backs Khalifa Haftar and his offensive on Tripoli, rejected the MoUs between Turkey and Libya.

The HoR also voted by 38 members present only to cut relations with Turkey and refer Al-Sarraj for prosecution on a charge of “high treason” because he sought a foreign power’s military help.

On Thursday, Turkey’s parliament passed a motion to allow a military intervention in Libya, voting in favor of a one-year mandate to deploy troops to the country to help maintain legitimacy agaisnt Haftar’s attempts to take power by force.

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