Turkish parliament approves military operations against Syria

Turkey’s parliament approved on Thursday a memorandum granting the government powers to conduct military operations in Syria if necessary. The decision was followed by an announcement from the Turkish government that the Assad regime has apologized for its attack on its territory.

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In a note to parliament, the government requested approval to send troops beyond its borders, saying that the “act of aggression” carried out by the Syrian armed forces on Turkish soil represents a serious threat to Turkey’s national security.

In his first comments after the parliamentary vote, the Turkish deputy prime minister pointed out that the approval of military action outside the borders of Turkey was not a “memorandum of war.”