Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Libyan Interior Minister Fathi Bachagha said in Tunis on Thursday that the government of Fayez Sarraj was to officially request Turkey's military support to deal with the "mercenaries" of Khalifa Hafter, the self-proclaimed head of the Libyan National Army (LNA).

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that he will present a bill to the Turkish parliament for approval to send armed troops to Libya as soon as it resumes in January.    

"The Government of National Accord (GNA) will not back down and will fight to its last breath those who do not believe in democracy and pluralism," he emphasised.

He said Hafter, whose troops launched an offensive since April to take control of the Libyan capital, where Sarraj's government is based, "believes only in the force of arms and wants the destruction of the entire region. If Tripoli falls, Tunis will fall too," he warned.   

Bachagha said 630 members of Daesh and other "terrorist" organizations have been taken prisoner by forces loyal to Sarraj's government since fighting broke out around Tripoli. 
-0- PANA BB/IS/MTA/AR 26Dec2019