Turkey’s Parliament Holds Emergency Session to Vote On Sending Troops to Libya

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media next to Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu after the Global Refugee Forum at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, December 17, 2019, REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media next to Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu after the Global Refugee Forum at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, December 17, 2019, REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
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Turkey’s Parliament Holds Emergency Session to Vote On Sending Troops to Libya

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media next to Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu after the Global Refugee Forum at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, December 17, 2019, REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media next to Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu after the Global Refugee Forum at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, December 17, 2019, REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan anticipated Thursday’s parliament session to vote on sending troops to Libya, by calling on his country’s soldiers to achieve “epics” in the African country and to draw inspiration from the battles of the “Emir of the Ottoman sailors Hayreddin Barbarossa.”

In remarks on Wednesday, Erdogan said that his country “is going to take a new step in Libya and the eastern Mediterranean.”

“We hope that our soldiers in the eastern Mediterranean will achieve heroic epics, such as those achieved by the Emir of the Ottoman sailors Hayreddin Barbarossa” (1478 - 1546), he stated.

The Turkish Parliament convened in an emergency session on Thursday to discuss and vote on a motion submitted by the government to obtain a mandate to send soldiers to Libya, at the request of the Libyan National Reconciliation government, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, based on an agreement of understanding in military and security cooperation signed between the two sides on November 27.

The Republican People’s Party, the largest of the Turkish opposition parties, announced its refusal to send forces to Libya, explaining that it would vote against granting the government the mandate, while the Nationalist Movement Party, which was allied with the Justice and Development within the framework of the People’s Alliance, said that that its 49 deputies would vote in favor of the motion.

In the same context, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that the Skhirat agreement in Libya “requires the support of the government of national reconciliation”, which it described as “legitimate and internationally recognized.”

Erdogan said last month that Sarraj requested the Turkish deployment, after he and Sarraj signed a military deal that allows Ankara to dispatch military experts and personnel to Libya.

Ankara says the deployment is vital for Turkey to safeguard its interests in Libya and in the eastern Mediterranean.



Barrack Says Hezbollah Involvement in Iran-Israel War Would Be 'Very Bad Decision'

A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on June 19, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) welcoming US negotiator Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on June 19, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) welcoming US negotiator Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
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Barrack Says Hezbollah Involvement in Iran-Israel War Would Be 'Very Bad Decision'

A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on June 19, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) welcoming US negotiator Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on June 19, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) welcoming US negotiator Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)

The US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Thursday warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war between its main backer Iran and Israel.

"I can say on behalf of President (Donald) Trump... that would be a very, very, very bad decision," Barrack said, responding to a question on what the US position would be on any involvement by Hezbollah in the war.

Barrack met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace and Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh.

Hezbollah has condemned Israel's strikes on Iran and expressed full solidarity with its leadership.

Hezbollah on Thursday expressed support for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei following threats by Israeli leaders that he could be killed.

In a statement, Hezbollah said that “threats to assassinate (Khamenei) are foolish and reckless, and will have disastrous consequences.”

But the group has stopped short of making explicit threats to intervene.

Israel's defense minister said Thursday that Khamenei "can no longer be allowed to exist" after an Israeli hospital was hit during an Iranian missile attack.

"Khamenei openly declares that he wants Israel destroyed -- he personally gives the order to fire on hospitals. He considers the destruction of the state of Israel to be a goal," Israel Katz told journalists in Holon near Tel Aviv. "Such a man can no longer be allowed to exist."

Killing Khamenei would "end the conflict" between Israel and Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.