Turkish public opposes troop deployments to Libya, poll indicates

Analysts say Turks are struggling to understand why their soldiers should be fighting in a country so far away

 

Turkey’s public overwhelmingly opposes the deployment of Turkish troops to Libya, a new poll conducted by an Istanbul-based research institute indicated on Friday.

Fifty-eight percent of the respondents said Turkey should not send forces to the North African country in a bid to save the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), which is facing off an assault from the forces of Khalifa Haftar.

Just 34 percent of the respondents said they supported the move.

The poll was conducted by Istanbul Economy Research in January, questioning 1,537 people in 12 provinces with computer-assisted telephone interviewing.

Earlier this month, the Turkish parliament granted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan military authorisation to deploy troops to Libya.

Read more: middle east eye