President Erdogan has handed wide-ranging legal immunity to the Turkish military, in the latest sign of a détente between the former enemies.
A bill signed off by Mr Erdogan on Wednesday and published in the Official Gazette yesterday protects soldiers taking part in domestic security operations from prosecution by requiring government approval for legal cases to proceed.
Cases against commanders must now be approved by the prime minister, while those against lower-ranking soldiers can be signed off by district governors.
The military is increasingly taking the lead in operations against the Kurdish militia the PKK in the east of Turkey. Violence broke out in the region last summer when the group, which is classed as a terrorist organisation in Turkey, the US and the UK,