Libya's east-based parliament votes to cut ties with Turkey

Libya's east-based House of Representatives on Saturday voted to cut ties with Turkey after Turkish approval of sending troops to Libya to support the UN-backed government."The House of Representatives (the parliament) voted unanimously ... to cancel security and military cooperation and deny maritime deals signed between" the UN-backed government and Turkey, said Abdullah Bhelig, the parliament's spokesman, in a statement."The parliament also voted unanimously to bring the head of the presidential council of the UN-backed government, its foreign minister and interior minister to court on charges of high treason," the statement added.In addition, the House of Representatives voted to cancel the UN-sponsored political agreement signed in 2015 and demanded the international community withdraw recognition from the UN-backed government, according to the statement.

The Turkish parliament passed a motion on Thursday that authorizes the government to deploy troops in Libya for a one-year period, with 325 votes in favor and 184 against.On November 27, Turkey and the Tripoli-based UN-backed Libyan government signed two separate memorandums of understanding on security cooperation.The east-based army, which is allied with the House of Representatives, has been leading a military campaign in and around the capital Tripoli since early April, trying to take over the city and topple the UN-backed government.Thousands have been killed and injured in the fighting, and more than 120,000 people fled their homes from the violence.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)