Egyptian Parliament Authorizes Intervention in Libya

A direct military conflict between several regional and global powers became ever more likely Monday after the Egyptian parliament voted to authorize President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi to deploy armed forces in neighboring Libya. Before the president’s proposal was approved, el-Sisi spoke on the phone with US President Donald Trump, who urged him to help preserve the fragile cease-fire currently in place. Last week, el-Sisi promised to intervene in the conflict if the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) would move on the coastal city of Sirte, currently held by rebel Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA). As if on cue, over the weekend hundreds of GNA military vehicles began their advance towards the northern city. While the GNA is recognized by the UN and backed by Turkish paramilitary soldiers, the LNA, which controls most of southeast Libya, is supported by Russian, Egyptian and UAE forces. The country’s ongoing civil war has drawn international intervention mostly because of the size of its oil reserves.