<p class="title">Libya's UN-recognised unity government in Tripoli has requested military support from Turkey, an agreement which Ankara will honour, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's top press aide said on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Libya's government has requested Turkey's military support. As President Erdogan said, we will of course honour our agreement," Fahrettin Altun tweeted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His comments come a day after Erdogan said the Turkish parliament would vote on January 8 or 9 on a motion to send troops to Libya in a bid to bolster the government in Tripoli against strongman Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We're supporting the internationally recognized legitimate government in Libya. Outside powers must stop supporting illegitimate groups against the Libyan government," Altun wrote.</p>.<p class="bodytext">New reports have claimed that Russia has sent mercenaries to fight on Haftar's side -- which was denied by Moscow. The United Nations has also accused the strongman's forces of recruiting fighters from Sudan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As we support the Libyan government, we do not want Libya to be a war zone," Altun said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Those regional forces working to reestablish repressive regimes unaccountable to people are active in Libya. Their efforts to install client governments will not succeed."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ankara signed a security and military cooperation deal with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in November.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Separately, it also inked a maritime jurisdiction agreement with the GNA -- which has drawn international criticism including from Greece.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That deal sets a maritime boundary between the two countries which Athens says does not take into account the island of Crete, at a time when regional players are vying to exploit gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our maritime agreement with Libya ensures that Turkey's freedom of movement in the high seas is not undermined," Altun tweeted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It also ensures a strong relationship with the Libyan government. We are committed to stability and peace both in Libya and in the Mediterranean." </p>
<p class="title">Libya's UN-recognised unity government in Tripoli has requested military support from Turkey, an agreement which Ankara will honour, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's top press aide said on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Libya's government has requested Turkey's military support. As President Erdogan said, we will of course honour our agreement," Fahrettin Altun tweeted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His comments come a day after Erdogan said the Turkish parliament would vote on January 8 or 9 on a motion to send troops to Libya in a bid to bolster the government in Tripoli against strongman Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We're supporting the internationally recognized legitimate government in Libya. Outside powers must stop supporting illegitimate groups against the Libyan government," Altun wrote.</p>.<p class="bodytext">New reports have claimed that Russia has sent mercenaries to fight on Haftar's side -- which was denied by Moscow. The United Nations has also accused the strongman's forces of recruiting fighters from Sudan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As we support the Libyan government, we do not want Libya to be a war zone," Altun said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Those regional forces working to reestablish repressive regimes unaccountable to people are active in Libya. Their efforts to install client governments will not succeed."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ankara signed a security and military cooperation deal with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in November.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Separately, it also inked a maritime jurisdiction agreement with the GNA -- which has drawn international criticism including from Greece.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That deal sets a maritime boundary between the two countries which Athens says does not take into account the island of Crete, at a time when regional players are vying to exploit gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our maritime agreement with Libya ensures that Turkey's freedom of movement in the high seas is not undermined," Altun tweeted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It also ensures a strong relationship with the Libyan government. We are committed to stability and peace both in Libya and in the Mediterranean." </p>