The Turkish Presidency formally submitted a motion to Parliament for a 24-month extension of Turkish troops’ deployment in Libya on Sunday.
The motion points to the 2019 request by Libya’s Government of National Unity for support from Türkiye amid attacks to unseat it, which began in April 2019. It says that attacks and internal turmoil ceased in the subsequent period and this prevented Libya from falling into chaos and instability, which would pose a security risk both for Türkiye and the entire region.
“The continued inability to hold elections in Libya has prolonged political uncertainty and governance problems, putting at risk the calm achieved on the ground through great sacrifice and posing a serious obstacle to lasting stability. This situation raises concerns for the security of Libya and the wider region. Given the deep-rooted historical, political and economic ties between Türkiye and Libya, which were further strengthened by the Memorandum of Understanding on the Delimitation of Maritime Jurisdiction Areas in the Mediterranean that has been signed and entered into force, the continuation of the cease-fire and political dialogue process in Libya, and the establishment of peace and stability as a result of that process, are of great importance for Türkiye,” the motion said.
The parliamentary motion emphasized that, within this framework, Türkiye continues to provide training and advisory support contributing to Libya’s security under the Security and Military Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed with Libya and now in force, and that Türkiye actively contributes to maintaining stability and calm on the ground.
The motion noted that, at the current stage, it has not yet been possible to finalize a permanent cease-fire and the political dialogue process in Libya, nor to unify all institutions, particularly military and security bodies.
The Turkish Parliament first allowed the deployment of troops in Libya for one year in January 2020.
Türkiye is a key actor in the region and seeks to expand its clout in Libya. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın recently paid a visit to the country, while Ankara also reached out to Gen. Khalifa Haftar for more cooperation, marking a shift in its Libya policy which was strict opposition to the forces of Haftar.
Türkiye seeks the approval of the Tobruk-based parliament, aligned with Haftar, for a 2019 maritime delimitation deal with the U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli.
Greece and Egypt have reportedly lobbied Haftar against the agreement, citing competing claims in the Eastern Mediterranean and potential infringement on their maritime zones. The deal is seen by Ankara as a strategic win in asserting Türkiye’s rights in the region.
