Turkey Parliament Extends Mandate for Troop Deployment in Syria, Iraq
Turkish parliament has approved a motion to extend the deployment of troops in neighboring Syria and Iraq for another year, the official Anadolu news agency reported.
The mandate, first approved by parliament in October 2014, has been renewed every year since then.
It allows military action in Turkey's two southern neighbors against Islamic State (IS) extremists and other groups deemed by Ankara to be terror organizations.
The approved motion said it was "essential for Turkey's national security to take all necessary measures ... in the face of any threats."
Ismet Yilmaz, head of parliament's defense committee, said there would be no let-off in Turkey's fight against terror.
"We will not allow terror groups to shelter or be trained in our country's southern borders, or stage attacks against our country utilizing the unstable political situation in Iraq and Syria," Yilmaz was quoted as saying by Anadolu.
Source: Agence France Presse
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