Turkish parliament OKs controversial Libya military deal

Turkey's parliament approved a security and military deal with Libya's UN-supported government Saturday  on the heels of a controversial maritime agreement earlier this month that has drawn international ire.

The deal allows Turkey to provide military training and equipment at the request of the Libyan government that controls the capital, Tripoli, and some of the country's west.

Forces loyal to a rival government based in Libya's east opened a fierce new assault on the capital last week and on Friday, they gave the militias defending Tripoli a three-day deadline to pull out.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by commander Khalifa Hifter, has been trying to capture the capital since April. The battle lines have barely changed in recent months.

Heavy fighting has threatened to plunge the North African nation into another bout of violence rivaling...