Erkan Akçay

The Turkish Parliament is set to convene in a closed session to discuss the developments in Syria's northwestern Idlib province as the exchange of fire continues to escalate tensions between Ankara and Damascus.

The General Assembly will convene at 3.00 p.m. local time (1200GMT) for its usual weekly works which will be followed by the closed session.

The Turkish parliament on Sept. 23 approved the extension of a mandate permitting the government to deploy troops to Iraq and Syria for another year, just two days before the scheduled referendum to be held by the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). 

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmakers have staged a protest in the parliament, arguing they had not been given enough of the floor to speak during parliamentary discussions for a by-law amendment draft.

Posters prepared to mark the first year anniversary of the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt, have stirred a major debate in Turkey, with many social media users and politicians slamming them for "defaming soldiers."

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have agreed on a 17-article amendment to internal regulation of the Turkish parliament, a change required by the constitutional amendment approved after the April 16 referendum. 

The latest controversy surrounding Turkey’s military involves its most valued asset: conscripts. In the past month, nearly 2,000 cases of food poisoning have hit the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). For much of last week, successive reports came out of five TSK units in Manisa province that 600 conscripts were hospitalized for severe nausea and vomiting.

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on May 10 slammed the U.S. decision to arm the People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria, saying President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan should "reconsider" his meeting with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at the White House, scheduled for May 16.

Opposition voices in Turkey have joined the government's criticism of Germany after Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ's meeting with Turkish nationals in Germany was canceled by the local authorities.

Opposition parties gave different reactions to the Jan. 29 visit of Turkey's top brass to the Aegean islets of Kardak, which is claimed by Turkey and Greece, with the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) criticizing the move but the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) praising it.

The government and opposition parties have locked horns over a controversial child abuse code, which is scheduled to be debated once again in parliament on Nov. 22, with the government asking critics to formulate a new proposal or it will continue with the current draft.