ANKARA (SD) -Turkey’s parliament has approved a motion to increase the presence of Turkish troops in Somalia and extend their stay until February 10, 2023.

The approval comes at a time when Turkish-trained troops dispatched to Somalia have been criticized for using outgoing President Farmajo for political purposes.

It is the 14th time Ankara has increased its total presence in Somalia since it was first approved by parliament in 2008.

The Turkish president has asked the parliament to extend Turkey’s presence in the Gulf of Aden, offshore and off the coast of Somalia.

The Turkish military operation was expected to last until February 10, 2022.

Turkey is one of the countries with troops in the Gulf of Aden, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the world’s fourth-largest oil pipeline, a strategic energy route to crude oil in the Middle East.

It is not known whether the Somali government requested the increase in the number and duration of Turkish troops in Somalia.

Turkey has been accused of backing Somali President Mohamed Farmajo in extending his term by some opposition leaders.