After hours of deliberation, the Egyptian parliament has approved deployment of military personnel to Libya and end the activities of terrorists and militia groups that currently annexed some parts of the country.
The parliament’s approval came barely a week after the country’s President, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, threatened that Egypt would not stand idle if there was a threat to his neighbouring countries security including his country.
A sharp military escalation in Libya, where fighters led by eastern commander Khalifa Haftar have been battling the forces of the internationally recognised government, could risk igniting a direct conflict among the foreign powers that have poured in weapons and fighters violated the arms embargo.
Egypt, alongside the United Arab Emirates and Russia, backs Haftar, who abandoned an offensive on the capital last month after Turkey stepped up support for Tripoli.
The country has flown airstrikes on suspected militants in Libya since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 plunged the oil producer into chaos.
It has also supported Haftar, an ex-Gaddafi general, since 2014 when he assembled a force in eastern Libya, according to U.N. reports. But sending ground-combat troops would be a major escalation.
The eastern-based Libyan parliament allied to Haftar asked Cairo this month to intervene militarily to counter Turkey, and its president welcomed Egypt’s move on Monday, a spokesman said.
The Egyptian parliament said on the vote supported by all present MPs that troops would be defending national security on the strategic western front against the work of armed criminal militias and foreign terrorist elements.
Although the parliament did not give details the last time Egypt sent ground troops abroad for combat was in 1991 in Kuwait as part of a U.S.-led coalition to drive out Iraqi troops.
Before the approval, the Egyptian president and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, met on phone and agreed that there was a need for quick military intervention.
“The two leaders affirmed the need for immediate de-escalation in Libya, including through a ceasefire and progress on economic and political negotiations,” the White House said in a statement.
Through a statement, the White House added that Trump also had a phone conversation with French President, Emmanuel Macron, on the conflict and told Macron that the issue already exacerbated by presence of foreign forces and arms.
U.N. spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, while addressing newsmen said: “There is no military solution to the current crisis in Libya and there is need for an immediate ceasefire”.
