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Turkish Lawmakers Back Cross-Border Troop Deployment Against IS Militants

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The Turkish parliament on Thursday approved possible deployment of Turkish troops in cross-border military operations against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

Updated 9:38 p.m. Moscow Time

ANKARA, October 2 (RIA Novosti) - The Turkish parliament on Thursday approved possible deployment of Turkish troops in cross-border military operations against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

The one-year mandate was approved by 289 lawmakers in the 550-seat legislative body, with 98 deputies voting against.

The motion also authorities the transit and stationing of foreign troops on the Turkish territory while they are involved in combat operations against IS militants in the neighboring countries.

Earlier on Thursday, Turkish Minister of Defense Ismet Yilmaz said that the Turkish army will not take any immediate actions upon receiving the permission for cross-border operations.

The IS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has been fighting the Syrian government since 2012. In June, 2014, the jihadist group spread its attacks to northern and western Iraq.

In August, the United States started launching airstrikes against IS positions in Iraq. In September, the attacks of the US and their allies were extended to Syria – without any formal permission from the Syrian government.

The United States has been trying to get Turkey involved in its anti-jihadist military campaign ever since the release of IS-held Turkish hostages in September.

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