Baghdad summons Turkish ambassador for violating Iraq's 'sovereignty' after airstrikes
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday announced that it had summoned the ambassador of Turkey in Iraq and handed him a complaint memo condemning the violation of Iraqi sovereignty and its airspace after recent Turkish airstrikes in the Kurdistan Region.
A statement from the foreign ministry announced that Iraq had “summoned” Turkish Ambassador Fatih Yildiz “against the backdrop of the Turkish bombing that affected a number of regions in northern Iraq, causing terror to the population, and spreading panic among them.”
“Ambassador Abdul Karim Hashim met the Turkish ambassador and delivered him a protest note, which included the Iraqi government’s condemnation of violations of the sanctity, sovereignty, and Iraqi airspace.”
The ministry explained that the Turkish breach is contrary to international conventions, relevant rules of international law, friendship relations, principles of good neighbourliness, and mutual respect.
It called on Turkey to “stop unilateral military operations” and expressed the Iraqi government’s willingness for joint cooperation in securing the border areas in a manner that safeguards the interests of both sides.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry called on its Turkish counterparts to “take measures to end these violations and prevent their occurrence in the future.”
On early Monday morning, Turkish warplanes carried out intensive airstrikes against alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets in Shingal and Makhmour, as part of a military operation launched by Ankara called “Eagle Claw.”
Related Article: Iraqi Joint Operations Command condemns Turkish bombing in Shingal, Makhmour
Turkish shelling in the border areas, as well as the Qandil Mountains, has become a norm since the peace process between the PKK and Ankara collapsed in 2015. Monday’s latest Turkish aerial assault targeted areas that Ankara claims have become a PKK “den.”
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany