Turkish diplomats summoned an Iraqi diplomat on Thursday to express their “displeasure” over statements in Baghdad about the Turkish military operation that has been unfolding in northern Iraq since Sunday night.
“The ambassador of the Iraqi embassy was summoned to express our dissatisfaction with the statements made by the Iraqi authorities regarding the operation (…) and the non-existent accusations made,” according to a press release issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
“He was served a note explaining our point of view,” the Turkish foreign minister added.
On Monday, Ankara announced it was launching a new air and ground operation against Kurdish separatist rebels based in northern Iraq.
On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the Iraqi federal authorities and the government of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan support his country’s new attack. However, the interested parties categorically denied it.
Reacting Wednesday night, Iraqi diplomacy denied the “allegations” of the Turkish head of state.
With careful wording, avoiding referring to Ankara’s protest to Baghdad, the Turkish Foreign Minister noted that the “persistent requests” of Turkey to the Iraqi authorities to “end the presence of the terrorist organization” on their territory have not been met.
The term “terrorist organization” refers to the Turkish government without naming the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed separatist movement that has been waging war against the Turkish state since the 1980s.
Assuring that it was “ready to work closely with Iraq in the fight against the terrorist organization”, Turkey said it would continue to “take the necessary measures” in the context of its right to legal defense as long as the terrorist organization continues to pose a threat. for its security from Iraqi territory. “
The large-scale Turkish operation, which began Sunday night through Monday, involves commando units, helicopters, fighter jets and UAVs. It focuses on three areas near the Turkish border where PKK’s positions are located, a faction also described as a “terrorist” organization by Turkey’s allies in the West (US, EU).
Turkish airstrikes against the PKK in northern Iraq are frequent, especially in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, where the organization has bases and training camps.
The operation has resulted in the Turkish ambassador to Baghdad being summoned regularly to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry to protest. They complicate relations between the Iraqi federal government and Ankara.
Turkey is one of Iraq’s main trading partners.
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