Ankara, Dec 25 (IANS): Turkey extended its troop deployment permission in Libya for another 18 months, according to its official gazette.

The motion calling for the extension of deployment in the North African country was approved by the Turkish Parliament on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency quoted the gazette as saying on Thursday.

"There are threats from Libya to Turkey and the entire region, and if attacks resume again, Turkey's interests in the Mediterranean and North Africa will be adversely affected," said the gazette, noting that permanent peace, a ceasefire that was agreed to in October, and political dialogue in Libya are of great importance to Ankara.

"Turkey, within the Memorandum of Security and Military Cooperation signed with Libya, will continue to contribute to the training and consultancy support to Libya," it added.

Meanwhile, another motion approved by the Turkish parliament extending the deployment of Turkish troops in Afghanistan for 18 months as part of NATO's support mission in the war-torn country was also published in the official gazette on Thursday.

In 2019, Ankara and Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) signed two memorandums of understanding on military cooperation and maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Since the uprising which killed former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, Libya has been divided between the powers of GNA and the eastern-based Libyan National Army.