Turkish parliament approved cross-border military operations inside Syria 0510122.

In the motion, the Turkish government said "aggressive action" against its territory by Syria's military had become a serious threat to its national security.

The motion was drafted at an emergency cabinet meeting late Wednesday, hours after five Turkish citizens were killed and a dozen others wounded in Syrian shelling in the southeastern border town of Akcakale.

The parliamentary session came amid Turkey's retaliatory strikes on Syrian targets, which started on Wednesday and continued through Thursday morning.

Members of the main opposition parties, Republican People's Party (CHP) and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), have decided to vote against the motion.

Muharrem Ince, deputy chairman of CHP's parliamentary group, said the motion is a "declaration of war" against Syria.

"This motion has no limits. You can wage a world war with (the motion)," Ince said.

However, Yalcin Akdogan, a deputy of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and a senior advisor to the prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, argued that the motion does not necessarily pave the way for a war, saying that the opposition's criticism was based on "political concerns."

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay told reporters that "It's not a motion for war. It is a motion designated for future needs."

Turkey's priority was to act in coordination with international institutions on Syria, Atalay added.