国际英语新闻:Egyptian parliament to discuss military intervention in Libya: state media

CAIRO, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian parliament is expected to hold a meeting this week to discuss the political and military situation in neighboring war-torn Libya, state-run Ahram Online news website reported.

The discussion is to be followed by a vote to mandate President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to intervene militarily in Libya to help defend the western neighbor against Turkish interventions.

On Thursday, President Sisi vowed that his country will not stand idle in the face of any direct threats to the security of Egypt and Libya.

His remarks came after tribal leaders allied to the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar authorized him, during a meeting in Cairo, to intervene militarily in Libya.

The tribesmen's authorization came days after the eastern-based Libyan parliament decided to allow the Egyptian army to intervene in the country's ongoing conflict to protect Egyptian and Libyan national security.

During the meeting with tribal leaders, Sisi said he needs to obtain the approval of the Egyptian parliament.

On June 20, Sisi threatened to send troops to Libya to protect "Egypt's national security" as fighting between the Libyan rivals intensified.

Sisi also warned that Libya's Sirte and al-Jafra, which are currently under the control of the Libyan National Army (LNA), are a "red line" in terms of Egypt's national security.

Libya has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The situation escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rivals with warring forces, namely the UN-backed Government of National Accord based in the capital Tripoli and the eastern-based LNA led by Haftar.