Iraqi parliament to meet, determine response to Turkish airstrikes

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Iraqi parliament on Thursday announced it assigned its Defense and Security Committee to look into Tuesday’s Turkish airstrikes which killed five Peshmerga soldiers in Shingal near the Syrian border.

The committee said it would present its initial findings once parliament convenes a meeting to discuss and possibly vote on recommendations regarding Iraq’s response to the airstrikes.

Shakhawan Abdulla, a Kurdish member of the committee, said they “have two recommendations” regarding the Turkish assault.

First, he stressed that “this must be the last Turkish attack in the Kurdistan Region.”

Secondly, Abdulla explained, “if the Iraqi government supports the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), they can move the group to the Qandil mountains if they want to use them against Turkey.”

According to members of the committee, it is possible parliament will be asked to take action against “neighboring countries’ activities” in Iraq.

Many parties in the Kurdistan Region have already called on the UN and the international community to condemn and prevent Turkish attacks in Iraq and the Region.

On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Spokesman Stephanie Dujarric said the United Nations was concerned over the Turkish airstrikes in Shingal.

Dujarric also urged Turkey and Iraq to hold consultations on all issues of concern.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim contacted the Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani in separate phone calls on Wednesday.

They expressed their condolences to the families of the Peshmerga fighters who lost their lives as a result of “mistaken” Turkish airstrikes on the positions of PKK in Shingal, southeastern Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has in the past urged the PKK to leave Yezidi areas including Shingal Mountain where tensions run high between the PKK affiliates and local forces.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany