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| Turkey's parliament authorises military operations against Syria | Turkey's parliament authorises military operations against Syria |
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| Turkey's parliament has authorised military operations against Syria and its military has fired into the county for a second day after shelling killed five civilians in a Turkish border town. | Turkey's parliament has authorised military operations against Syria and its military has fired into the county for a second day after shelling killed five civilians in a Turkish border town. |
| For its part, Syria admitted it was responsible for the shelling and formally apologised for the deaths, a top Turkish official said. | For its part, Syria admitted it was responsible for the shelling and formally apologised for the deaths, a top Turkish official said. |
| The border violence has added a dangerous new dimension to Syria's civil war, dragging Syria's neighbours deeper into a conflict that activists say has already killed 30,000 people since an uprising against Bashar al-Assad's regime began in March 2011. | The border violence has added a dangerous new dimension to Syria's civil war, dragging Syria's neighbours deeper into a conflict that activists say has already killed 30,000 people since an uprising against Bashar al-Assad's regime began in March 2011. |
| Deputy prime minister Besir Atalay said parliament's authorisation was not a declaration of war on Syria but gave Turkey the right to respond to any future attacks from Syria. "The bill is not for war," Atalay said. "It has deterrent qualities." | Deputy prime minister Besir Atalay said parliament's authorisation was not a declaration of war on Syria but gave Turkey the right to respond to any future attacks from Syria. "The bill is not for war," Atalay said. "It has deterrent qualities." |
| Cross-border tensions escalated on Wednesday after a shell fired from inside Syria landed on a home in the Turkish village of Akcakale, killing two women and three of their daughters and wounding at least 10 others, according to Turkish media. | Cross-border tensions escalated on Wednesday after a shell fired from inside Syria landed on a home in the Turkish village of Akcakale, killing two women and three of their daughters and wounding at least 10 others, according to Turkish media. |
| The bill opens the way for unilateral action by Turkey's armed forces inside Syria without the involvement of Turkey's western or Arab allies. Turkey has used a similar provision to repeatedly attack suspected Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq. | The bill opens the way for unilateral action by Turkey's armed forces inside Syria without the involvement of Turkey's western or Arab allies. Turkey has used a similar provision to repeatedly attack suspected Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq. |
| Nato, of which Turkey is a member, met in an emergency session in Brussels and condemned the attack on Turkey. Nato demanded "the immediate cessation of such aggressive acts against an ally" and urged the Syrian regime to "put an end to flagrant violations of international law". | Nato, of which Turkey is a member, met in an emergency session in Brussels and condemned the attack on Turkey. Nato demanded "the immediate cessation of such aggressive acts against an ally" and urged the Syrian regime to "put an end to flagrant violations of international law". |
| The Turkish response to the shelling was prompt – it fired salvos of artillery rounds deep inside Syria. | The Turkish response to the shelling was prompt – it fired salvos of artillery rounds deep inside Syria. |
| Mustafa Guclu, a witness in Akcakale, said the Turkish military had fired five artillery rounds after midnight towards Syria and another round at about 5am on Thursday. | Mustafa Guclu, a witness in Akcakale, said the Turkish military had fired five artillery rounds after midnight towards Syria and another round at about 5am on Thursday. |
| "I have not heard any more shelling since then," he told the Associated Press. | "I have not heard any more shelling since then," he told the Associated Press. |
| The Syrian mortar shell damaged the door and walls of a house in Akcakale, while shrapnel left holes and shattered windows in neighbouring houses and shops. | The Syrian mortar shell damaged the door and walls of a house in Akcakale, while shrapnel left holes and shattered windows in neighbouring houses and shops. |
| Some residents of Akcakale abandoned their homes close to the border and spent the night on the streets. Others gathered outside the mayor's office, afraid to return to their homes as distant artillery fire rumbled. | Some residents of Akcakale abandoned their homes close to the border and spent the night on the streets. Others gathered outside the mayor's office, afraid to return to their homes as distant artillery fire rumbled. |
| Turks have grown weary of the burden of involvement in the Syrian conflict, which includes the hosting of 90,000 Syrian refugees in camps along the border. | Turks have grown weary of the burden of involvement in the Syrian conflict, which includes the hosting of 90,000 Syrian refugees in camps along the border. |
| Yet Turkey is still loth to go it alone in Syria, and is anxious for any intervention to have the legitimacy conferred by a UN resolution or the involvement of a broad group of allies. Turkey is mindful in part of inconclusive ground missions, mostly in the 1990s, against Kurdish guerrillas based in northern Iraq, as well as the bitter lessons of being seen as an occupying power that are associated with the US-led invasion in Iraq. | Yet Turkey is still loth to go it alone in Syria, and is anxious for any intervention to have the legitimacy conferred by a UN resolution or the involvement of a broad group of allies. Turkey is mindful in part of inconclusive ground missions, mostly in the 1990s, against Kurdish guerrillas based in northern Iraq, as well as the bitter lessons of being seen as an occupying power that are associated with the US-led invasion in Iraq. |
| Reaching deeper into history, Turkey is aware of Middle Eastern sensibilities over Ottoman rule over much of the region. | Reaching deeper into history, Turkey is aware of Middle Eastern sensibilities over Ottoman rule over much of the region. |
| On a visit to Pakistan on Thursday, the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, expressed his government's concern over the escalation of tension. | On a visit to Pakistan on Thursday, the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, expressed his government's concern over the escalation of tension. |
| Lavrov, speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, said Syria had assured Russia, an ally, that an incident like the shelling that killed the Turks would not happen again. | Lavrov, speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, said Syria had assured Russia, an ally, that an incident like the shelling that killed the Turks would not happen again. |
| "It is of great concern for us," Lavrov said. "This situation is deteriorating with every coming day." | "It is of great concern for us," Lavrov said. "This situation is deteriorating with every coming day." |
| Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, said Nato members agreed on the need for solidarity but also on prudence in reacting to events on the Turkish-Syrian border. | Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, said Nato members agreed on the need for solidarity but also on prudence in reacting to events on the Turkish-Syrian border. |
| The Turkish retaliatory shelling and steps to authorise military intervention against Syria were the latest events to sharply escalate tensions between the two former allies. | The Turkish retaliatory shelling and steps to authorise military intervention against Syria were the latest events to sharply escalate tensions between the two former allies. |
| In June, Turkey reinforced its border with anti-aircraft missiles and threatened to target any approaching Syrian military elements after Syrian forces brought down a Turkish jet, killing its two pilots. Turkey said the plane was in international airspace, countering Syrian claims that it was in Syrian airspace. | In June, Turkey reinforced its border with anti-aircraft missiles and threatened to target any approaching Syrian military elements after Syrian forces brought down a Turkish jet, killing its two pilots. Turkey said the plane was in international airspace, countering Syrian claims that it was in Syrian airspace. |
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