Brawl in Turkish parliament over military action in Syria

(Patria) – A tense debate over military action in northwestern Syria in the Turkish parliament on Wednesday culminated in a brawl and physical confrontation.

A video recording of the session shows a physical confrontation between lawmakers from President Erdogan's party and the main opposition party, as well as attempts by individuals to separate them and calm tensions.

The conflict was initiated by Engin Ozkoc, a representative of the opposition Republican People's Party, when he took the podium. Shortly before that, during a press conference, Ozkoc called Erdogan 'dishonorable, vile, low, and perfidious,' Euronews reports. He also accused the president of sending the children of the Turkish people to fight while his own children allegedly avoided longer military service.

Erdogan had earlier, in an address to members of his party, accused the opposition of being 'dishonorable, vile, low, and perfidious' for questioning Turkey's military action in Syria.

Turkey has mobilized thousands of soldiers to the Idlib province bordering Turkey with the aim of supporting opposition forces trying to prevent Bashar al-Assad's regime from taking Idlib.

In Idlib, 50 Turkish soldiers lost their lives last month alone, including 33 who died in an airstrike last Thursday.