Turkey’s presidency submits motion on Iraq, Syria

The Turkish Presidency on Thursday submitted a motion to Turkish parliament to extend the state’s authority to launch cross-border military operations in northern Iraq and Syria for one more year.

The motion, which was submitted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, had previously allowed the Turkish military to carry out cross-border operations from Oct. 31, 2017 until Oct. 30, 2018.

The motion stated that Turkey attaches great importance to the protection of Iraq's territorial integrity, national unity and stability.

"However, the existence of PKK and Daesh in Iraq, poses a direct threat to regional peace, stability and the security of our country," it added.

The parliament will debate the motion after the opening of new legislative year on Oct. 1.

During the parliamentary session, the deputies will debate whether the same motion should be extended, or a new motion should be drafted.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin. On March 18, Turkish troops and the Free Syrian Army liberated the Afrin district center.

The presidency also submitted a motion calling for extending the deployment of Turkish troops to the Central African Republic (CAR) and Mali as part of a UN-approved EU peacekeeping mission.

The extensions will be effective as of Oct. 31, 2018 for another year.

In September 2014, the 12,000-troop UN peacekeeping force Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) began their deployment in the troubled Central African country.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in 2012 that authorized the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali, known as AFISMA.

In early 2013, France sent troops to the West African country and, with the help of Chadian and other African forces, flushed out militants from the country's main northern cities.