Zakho's artillery attack might have been carried out from inside Turkey: Hoshyar Zebari
ERBIL (Kurdistan) – The Turkish artillery attack on the Kurdistan Region's Zakho that killed nine civilians on Wednesday might have been carried out from inside Turkey, said Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Politburo member and former Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.
"What Turkish officials don't understand in targeting a civilian tourist resort in Zakho is that all the innocent martyrs are Iraqi Arabs from southern Iraq, who came for tourism and to spend the summer at the furthest point of their land," Zebari tweeted on Thursday.
On Wednesday, an artillery bombardment on a tourist resort in Zakho killed nine Iraqi tourists and injured more than 20.
Read More: Iraq summons Turkish envoy over deadly resort attack
Moreover, Zebari said the attackers fired 155 mm shells, "perhaps from inside Turkey."
Turkey's T-155 Fırtına self-propelled artillery system, which the Turkish military often uses for artillery bombardments against Iraq and Syria, fires 155 mm shells and can hit targets from more than 20 miles away.
Zebari underlined it would be better to form an Iraqi-Turkish investigation committee that includes the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
The Iraqi government blamed Turkey for the attack and summoned the Turkish envoy. Turkey denies any involvement in targeting civilians.
"Türkiye is against all kinds of attacks targeting civilians," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. "Türkiye is ready to take all steps to reveal the truth."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday night called for a "prompt and thorough investigation" into Wednesday's tragedy.
Read More: UN Secretary-General condemns deadly artillery attack in Zakho
On Thursday, Germany called for an investigation "into the circumstances of and responsibility for this attack must be conducted as a matter of urgency."
Read More: Leading Western countries offer condolences to victims of Zakho attack