Egypt’s parliament gave President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi the green light for possible military intervention in Libya by approving the deployment of armed forces abroad to fight “terrorist groups” and “militias”.
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 in violation of an arms embargo.
Sisi warned last week that Egypt would not stand idle if there was a threat to national security in Egypt and its western neighbour, Libya.
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.
Egypt has flown air strikes on suspected militants in Libya since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 plunged the oil producer into chaos.
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.”
It did not give details, a time frame or name Libya directly. It also did not mention Turkey.
Egyptian state TV later ran banners on the screen saying: “Egypt and Libya, one people, one fate.”
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.
