Turkey to extend troop deployment in Mali, CAR for UN peacekeeping missions

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish presidency on Wednesday submitted a motion to parliament calling for extending the deployment of Turkish troops to the Central African Republic (CAR) and Mali as part of a peacekeeping missions.

Once approved, the extensions will be effective as of Oct. 31 for one year.

In September 2014, the 12,000-troop UN peacekeeping force, Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), began deployment in the troubled Central African country.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution in 2012 authorizing the deployment of Africa-led International Support Mission to Mali, known as AFISMA.