ANKARA, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Prime Ministry on Friday submitted a motion to the parliament, which proposes to extend a one-year mandate for launching cross-border military operations in Iraq and Syria, local newspaper Hurriyet reported.
The parliament is set to hold an extraordinary session on Saturday to vote on the deployment of troops on foreign soil, Hurriyet said.
The motion previously allowed the Turkish military to carry out cross-border operations from Oct. 2, 2016 until Oct. 31, 2017.
During the parliamentary session, the deputies will debate whether the same motion should be extended, or a new motion should be drafted.
The move came after the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq insisted on the independence referendum scheduled for Sept. 25.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Friday that Ankara "will not refrain from using its natural rights" on the referendum.
"This referendum is an issue of Turkey's national security. Turkey is determined to use its natural rights originating from international and bilateral conventions and will not hesitate in this," he told reporters in Ankara.
The non-binding referendum will see residents of Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Iraq vote on full independence from Baghdad.
Turkey has reiterated its opposition against the planned independence referendum in northern Iraq and disputed areas.
