Iraqi PM: Turkish armed troops deployed to Iraq without coordination

BAGHDAD, Iraq (K24) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi condemned the Turkish deployment of ground troops on the soil of Iraq and asked Turkey to reveal any evidence proving Iraqi officials had been informed ahead, if they have any.

In a statement alongside the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier meetings in Baghdad on Monday, Abadi stated that the Turkish government deployed their army without the knowledge and consent of Iraq, calling the move a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and thus unacceptable.

Abadi also urged Turkey to withdraw its troops from Iraq immediately and asked Ankara to reveal any evidence of Baghdad’s official’s being informed about its armed forces coming into Iraqi territories.

Moreover, Abadi accused Turkey of providing a major illegal oil smuggling hub for jihadists through the parts of Iraq and Syria controlled by the Islamic State (IS), and urged the importance of halting finance for the jihadi group.

He also demanded more international support for Iraq in the fight against jihadists.  

On Thursday, Turkey deployed a troop of over one hundred military personnel equipped with tanks and artillery to Bashiqa town near Mosul city in Northern Iraq, currently under the control of IS.

Though the Iraqi officials warned Turkey to withdraw its ground troops from Iraq earlier this week, Ankara insisted that it’s necessary for its forces to near Mosul city to protect military advisers training Iraqi forces with the aim of retaking the IS-controlled city.

Baghdad, on the other hand, says its country has enough capability to defend its soil and its only demand from Turkey is to withdraw its troops immediately.

On Sunday, Baghdad set a 48-hour deadline for Ankara to pull out its armed troops, and then on Monday warned that if Turkey doesn’t show any positive reactions before the deadline, they will file a complaint to the Security Council to stop what was called ” the serious violation of Iraqi sovereignty”.