Turkey extends its TO mission in Afghanistan

Ankara, Jan 4: Turkish Parliament approved a motion to extend Turkish armed forces troops’ stay in Afghanistan as part of TOs support mission, state-run Adolu news agency reported.

According to the report, Parliament on Tuesday empowered the government to continue Turkish troops’ presence in Afghanistan for two more years under the TO mission starting on January 6.

A legislation put into effect on January 1, 2015, allowed the Turkish government to send troops to Afghanistan to support the TO-led mission Resolute Support.

As the TO-led Intertiol Security Assistance Force ended its 13-year combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, the mission evolved into training and advising of the scent Afghan security forces.

Around 12,000 foreign troops from 28 TO allies and 14 other partner tions agreed to support the TO mission in Afghanistan. The Tukish legislation that was passed in 2015 also grants the government authority to permit foreign army personnel to be transported to and from Afghanistan through Turkey. (IANS)