Norway's parliament approves sending troops to Syria
Norway's parliament approves sending troops to Syria
Norweigan Special Forces soldiers are set to join the anti-Islamic State group coalition in Syria later this summer.
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Norwegian PM Erna Solberg announced the plan in May [Getty]
Lawmakers in Oslo on Wednesday consented to sending troops to join coalition forces in Syria fighting against the Islamic State group.
As detailed in the government's approved plans, a contingent of some 60 Norweigan soldiers will assist with training, advice and operational support for Syrian factions in their struggle against the self proclaimed caliphate. Prior to this, Norway had only pledged to help anti-IS forces outside of Syria.
Following Wednesday's approval, Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide told local news agency NTB that because the anti-IS forces had exceeded expectations, it was "more important that coalition forces must also be able to train, advise and provide operational support to local groups on Syrian territory."
This latest development will see Norwegian troops deployed later this summer to be based in Jordan, following on from the plan's initial announcement in May.
At present, the IS group is under attack on several fronts after having retained its cross-border "caliphate" declared in Syria and Iraq in 2014 for over two years.
The Syrian Democratic forces - which are a joint coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters - are locked in a battle for the city of Manbij, the last stretch of IS controlled territory on Turkey's border.
Elsewhere, forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are attempting to unseat the militant group from their stronghold of Raqqa.
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