Turkish
Parliament convenes to vote on a motion which would allow the
government to authorise cross-border military incursions against Islamic
State fighters in Syria and Iraq, and allow coalition forces to use
Turkish territory, in Ankara October 2, 2014. (Reuters / Umit Bektas)
The Turkish army received the go-ahead from the
country’s parliament to engage in military action against Islamic State
insurgents in Syria and Iraq. Meanwhile, a senior NATO official said the
bloc's involvement is “practically” possible.
Ankara lawmakers on Thursday also authorized foreign forces on
Turkish territory when participating in operations against the
Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
"The rising influence of radical groups in Syria threatens
Turkey's national security...The aim of this mandate is to
minimize as much as possible the impact of the clashes on our
borders," Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz told parliament.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (AFP Photo / Adem Altan)
Parliament approved the new one-year mandate, with 298 deputies
voting in favor and 98 against the motion.
