Turkish parliament renews mandate for military operations in Syria, Iraq

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey's parliament has voted to renew by another year a mandate allowing the military to conduct operations in Syria and Iraq.

In a show of hands, legislators voted on Thursday in favor of the motion to extend the permit.

The current mandate — which served as a legal basis for recent Turkish strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria and Kurdish rebel targets in Iraq — runs out in October.

The mandate also allows the government to authorize foreign troops to be based on Turkish soil.

Turkey has taken a larger role in the fight against Islamic State militants recently, joining an airstrike campaign and allowing the use of an air base for U.S. fighter jet and drone missions.