DHAKA: The Turkish parliament is likely to extend by a year a mandate authorising the sending of troops into Syria if needed after the government said the possible use of chemical weapons by president Bashar Assad posed a threat to Turkey.

The government motion, due to be voted on by parliament on Thursday, paints a bleak picture of the conflict in its southern neighbour and says Turkey would be the country the most affected by escalating violence there.

‘Developments show that the Syrian regime has reached a point where it is ready to use any methods or weapons against international law,’ the motion said, reports The Jerusalem Post.

Ankara and Western nations have blamed Syrian government forces a nerve gas attack on a Damascus suburb on August 21 that killed hundreds.

The Syrian government, backed by Russia, blames the Sunni rebels.

Through its rights drawn from international law, Turkey is obliged to take necessary measures against any kind of action from Syria which presents an ‘open and near threat’, the motion said.

BDST: 1909 HRS, OCT 02, 2013
RoR/SRS