Turkish army soldiers walk past their tanks and armored vehicles in the northern Syrian rebel-controlled town of al-Rai, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, September 27, 2016. (Reuters)
Turkey parliament extends mandate for troops in Iraq, Syria by 1 year
The mandate was first approved by parliament in October 2014 and was renewed for another year in September 2015
Turkey’s parliament on Saturday overwhelmingly approved a one-year extension of an existing mandate to use Turkish troops abroad in Syria and Iraq.
The mandate was first approved by parliament in October 2014 and was renewed for another year in September 2015.
It allows military action in Turkey’s two southern neighbors against Islamic State jihadists and other groups deemed by Ankara to be terror organizations.
The bill passed easily on the first day of the new session of parliament with support from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), secular opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
