The House of Representatives (lower house of parliament) of Belarus on Wednesday passed a bill expanding the powers of the Interior Troops, which will be able to use military equipment for crowd control, the press service of the Belarusian parliament reported.

"The draft law provides for authorization of the Interior Troops to use military and special equipment for suppressing riots and group violations of public order or actions aimed at the destruction of property of all forms of ownership," said the press service.

It is also noted that servicemen of internal troops get the right to use weapons against persons for attacking a military unit or guardhouse as well as for illegal penetration into the territory of guarded objects.

The main tasks of the internal troops include participation in the protection of public order, ensuring public safety, security of protected persons and protected facilities, state of emergency, martial law, in case of the presidential decision to introduce them, the legal regime in the area of counter-terrorist operation, measures to strengthen the state border.