Forces from the LNA have shot down a Turkish drone west of the city of Sirte late on Wednesday, according to sources from the eastern-based forces in Libya. For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Colonel Abu Bakr al-Abyad, an LNA naval officer, said that any Turkish naval vessel that attempts to approach the Libyan coasts will be subject to destruction, adding that the LNA has “capabilities necessary to defeat any enemy approaching Libya.”Turkey supports the Government of National Accord (GNA), which is fighting for control of the country against eastern-basedEgypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia all back the LNA forces led by Haftar.

Earlier on Monday, Egypt’s parliament authorized the deployment of troops outside the country after the president threatened military action against Turkish-backed forces in Libya.

Rhetoric on the Libyan conflict has been ramping up in recent days, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aide Fahrettin Altun tweeting “Turkey has the “power and ability to obliterate the illegitimate bloc targeting Libya’s legitimate government.”