The internationally recognized Libyan government will formally request Turkey’s military support in the event of an escalation of the Tripoli war, Reuters reported.

“If the situation escalates then we have the right to defend Tripoli and its residents,” interior minister Fathi Bashagha told reporters in Tunis.

As reported earlier, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan intends send a request to Parliament in January to send the Turkish military to Libya.

There are two executive authorities in Libya: the internationally recognized Government of National Accord headed by Fayez Sarraj and the Second Al-Thani Cabinet, acting in the east of the country together with the parliament and supported by the Libyan National Army Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The latter has already announced that his armed forces were embarking on a decisive battle for the capital. The LNA command has repeatedly said it would resist any foreign intervention in Libyan internal affairs, and also threatened to sink ships and bring down military aircraft from Turkey with military aid.