Turkish peacekeeping forces will continue to support the capacity building of the Lebanese army under a renewed mandate to deploy to Lebanon, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
The Turkish parliament on Tuesday approved the extension of the military mandates for Syria and Iraq for three years, and the mandate under the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for an additional two years.
The ministry emphasized that efforts will be aimed at improving security in the region, stability and strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese armed forces with the aim of preserving peace in Lebanon.
Turkey, a NATO member, condemned Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip and the region, and called Israeli policies “genocidal” and “expansionist” threats to regional peace.
In a separate report, the ministry said the extended mandates in Iraq and Syria serve to preserve Turkey’s national security in the face of threats from terrorist groups, particularly the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Ankara considers linked to the PKK.
The parliament stated that the extension of the mandate is necessary, because “terrorist organizations continue to operate in the region”, and the SDF refuses integration into the central Syrian administration due to separatist activities.
(Vijesti.ba)
