Iraq summons Turkish, Iranian envoys to protest attacks on Iraq’s sovereignty: FM

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned both Iranian and Turkish Ambassadors to Iraq over the recent military operations both countries launched on their borders with Iraq, a statement from the ministry announced.

The summoning of Turkey and Iran Ambassadors comes as the two countries have recently begun bombing Iraq’s northern borders, targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) respectively.

Iraq asks for Turkish forces withdrawal

In a statement, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry announced it had summoned the Turkish ambassador over the recent military operation codenamed Claw-Eagle against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry, for the second time, summoned the Turkish envoy in Baghdad over the recent “violations” by the Turkish forces on Iraq’s borders that Baghdad considers a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, calling for an end to “provocative acts,” and the withdrawal of Turkish “aggressive forces” in Iraq, the statement mentioned in a strongly-worded tone.

The statement added that Turkey “was the cause of increased insecurity on its shared border between the countries.” The ministry also asked for the withdrawal of Turkish forces stationed in Bashiqa – without Iraq’s invitation – that entered Iraq following the rise of the so-called Islamic State in 2014.

“Iraq reserves its legitimate rights to take all measures that will protect its sovereignty and people’s safety,” the statement added, as it asked the United Nations Security Council and other regional and international organizations “to fulfil their responsibility” in case Turkey does not cease its operations.

Kurdistan Region authorities stated on more than one occasion that hundreds of residents from the border villages are displaced as a result of the military operations launched by Turkey and Iran that often result in civilian casualties and property damages.

Iranian Envoy summoned

The Iranian military on Wednesday shelled villages outside the Kurdistan Region’s Haji Omaran district in Erbil province for the second day in a row, forcing the area’s farmers and herdsmen to flee in fear of the strikes.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also summoned the Iranian Ambassador in Iraq to protest the recent shelling of villages in Haji Omaran by Iranian artilleries.

The ministry summoned the Iranian envoy to deliver Iraq’s “protests” against the Iranian shelling of Alana Heights, according to the ministry statement.

The ministry added that the shelling “caused material losses, property damages, as well as spreading fear among the residents of the areas.”

“As Iraq is keen to develop its historical relations with Iran, it condemns such acts and asks Iran to stop them,” the statement noted, as it asks Iran to seek “bilateral cooperation” to stabilize its border with Iraq.

The bases of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) “are the target of this artillery bombardment” by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the PDKI said in a statement that condemned the attacks.

The opposition PDKI also claimed that Iranian forces had bombarded its outposts inside the Kurdistan Region for a second day, reporting also that there had been no casualties among its ranks.

Read More: Iran targeted PDKI bases in two-day shelling of Kurdistan Region: statement

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has called on the Iranian government to put an end to indiscriminate shelling of areas near the Kurdish border in the past and asked Iranian Kurdish fighters to avoid using the region to attack its neighboring state.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany