Turkey’s Parliament voted overwhelmingly to allow the military to enter the US-led international campaign against Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria.  The US and other coalition members had put Turkey under pressure to get into the fight.

The legislation sets the legal framework for the Turkish military to launch attacks into Syria and Iraq against the Sunni extremist militants who threaten Turkey.  It also allows for foreign troops to be stationed in Turkey as part of the same campaign.  By using Turkish bases, especially the big one at Incirlik, US- and other coalition warplanes will have shorter distances to fly to strike IS. 

Turkey had be reluctant to back the US effort to “degrade and destroy” Islamic State.  IS fighters abducted 46 hostages from the Turkish consulate in Mosul when they overran that city earlier this year.  IS released the hostages last month, leading to speculation over what Turkey might have traded to swing the deal.  President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted no ransoms were paid, but broadly hinted at a prisoner swap.