Al-Azhar senior scholars urged on Saturday the world, starting with Islamic nations, to prevent foreign intervention in Libya.
During an extraordinary meeting in Cairo to address the situation in Libya, they said: “Any foreign meddling in Libya will only further complicate the situation in the country and lead to more bloodshed and losses in innocent lives.”
They also voiced rejection of the “mentality of hegemony adopted by some regional countries against the Arab world.”
“Resolving regional problems can only take place through the internal will between brothers,” said the scholars in a statement.
They called on Libyans to listen to reason and reject turning to foreign powers because that will “destroy the country’s future and lead to its fragmentation.”
They stressed their support for Egypt’s stance that urged of highest degrees of diplomacy in resolving the crisis.
Turkey’s parliament on Thursday authorized the deployment of troops to Libya to support the Government of National Accord against an offensive by the Libyan National Army, commanded by Khalifa Haftar.
Ankara claims the deployment is vital for Turkey to safeguard its interests in Libya and in the eastern Mediterranean, where it finds itself increasingly isolated as Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel have established exclusive economic zones paving the way for oil and gas exploration.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called again for an immediate ceasefire in Libya and a return to talks by all the warring parties.
The Turkish parliament’s decision to deploy troops was condemned by neighboring Egypt in what its foreign ministry called “the strongest language.”
The leaders of Greece, Israel and Cyprus also denounced the move as a “dangerous threat to regional stability" and a “dangerous escalation” of the Libyan conflict that violates UN resolutions and undermines international peace efforts.
