Turkish parliament extends cross-border military operation mandate

The Turkish parliament extended the mandate to send military troops abroad for one year during its first convention of the new legislative year on Saturday, Dogan News Agency reported.

The motion also allows foreign forces to use Turkish airbases and territories to fight militants from the Islamic State (IS), the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and People's Protection Units (YPG), according to Turkish Daily Sabah.

The mandate was given to the Turkish armed forces in 2014 and was extended for one year in September 2015.

Parliamentary speaker Ismail Kahraman said making a simple, civilian, democratic, libertarian and individual-centered new constitution is a top priority for the new legislative year.

In his address to the parliament, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he supports the efforts for a new constitution, calling arguments with the opposition "pointless."

Erdogan also criticized the United States for relying on the YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, to fight the IS.

"While one part of the Obama administration insists on carrying out joint work with the PKK/PYD-YPG terror organization in Syria and Iraq, the other part is trying to follow policies closer to our sensitivities," said Erdogan.

"Arguments of those who try to confront IS with YPG have been rendered useless with Euphrates Shield operation," he added.

According to the president, the Euphrates Shield operation shows it is possible to create a safe zone in northern Syria to curb the refugee influx, as the terrorism and refugee issues can be resolved when Syria becomes safer.

Source : QNA