The Turkish parliament on Tuesday approved a bill extending the authorisation for cross-border operations into Iraq and Syria for another two years. The bill also authorises the presence of foreign troops on Turkish soil.
In the presidential decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the request for the extension of the mandate is based on ‘the continuation of the increasing risks and threats to national security posed by the developments and the ongoing conflict environment in the regions adjacent to Turkey’s southern land borders’.
The presidential decree was approved in Turkey’s Grand National Assembly with 357 deputies voting in favour and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP – formerly the Green Left Party) voting against, for a total of 164 votes.
The CHP voted against the motion because of concerns about the presence of foreign troops in Turkey, while the HEDEP said that Turkish military operations were damaging stability in the region.
The extension of the duration of the mission, as mandated by Turkey’s Grand National Assembly, will last for two years from 30 October 2023, according to the motion.
Source: Medya News