Turkey extends military operations mandate in Syria, Iraq
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On Tuesday, the Turkish parliament voted to prolong the authorization for its security forces to engage in cross-border operations in Syria and Iraq for an additional two-year period.
The Turkish Parliament has approved an extension of the mandate, enabling Turkey to deploy its military forces to Syria and Iraq as part of its ongoing conflict against various groups, including the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG).
Under the mandate, which first came into force in 2014 and Turkey conducted multiple ground incursions in Syria and Iraq.
In Syria, on October 9, 2019, the Turkish forces and their affiliated armed opposition factions, known as Syrian National Army (SNA), launched a military operation against the city of Tel Abyad, north of Raqqa, northern Syria, and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), north of Hasakah, northeast the country.
The operation was named “Peace Spring” and led to the occupation of the two cities and their countryside in addition to the displacement of more than 300.000 of the original inhabitants.
In 2018, Turkey carried out a military operation in Afrin Region, northwest Syria, dubbed “Olive Branch” against the YPG under the pretext of preserving Turkey’s national security.
The operation caused the displacement of about 300,000 of the original inhabitants of the Kurds of Afrin who have been taking shelter in 42 villages and five camps in Aleppo northern countryside, locally known as Shahba region, since then.
From Oct. 5 to 9, 172 sites in areas and cities in north and northeast Syria were struck by Turkish airstrikes, shells, and drone attacks, targeting residential areas, military posts and infrastructure, including oil fields, gas plants, power stations, and others, according to the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press.
The strikes took place following a statement by Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, in which he threatened to strike a broader range of targets in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for the Ankara attack.
On Oct. 1, two individuals carried out a bomb attack in front of the building of the Ministry of Interior in Turkey’s Ankara injuring two police officers.