Pak Sahafat – The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has stated that Turkey’s operation on Iraqi soil violates Iraqi sovereignty and that Ankara has not coordinated with Baghdad, but news sources say the Turkish defense minister has walked in Iraq’s Dohuk Mountains and the site of recent operations following repeated Iraqi protests.
According to Pak Sahafat News agency (Tuesday), informed sources say that while the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that there is no agreement with Turkey on military operations in northern Iraq, it considers it a clear violation of Iraqi sovereignty, on Monday, Turkish Defense Minister Khulusi Akar visited the mountains of Iraq’s Dohuk province to monitor the Turkish military operation against the Workers’ Party (PKK).
Iraqi sources say the Turkish defense minister entered Iraq without coordination with Iraqi officials and visited the Ba’athist base in Ninawa province.
Turkey announced at the same time that the first phase of its attacks on northern Iraq has ended, but a few hours after the announcement, the Turkish army resumed airstrikes on various villages and areas in the province of Duhok in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
Iraqi media reported that in the last attack by Turkish helicopters on Iraqi territory last night, they attacked the village of Haruri in the Kani Masi district of Duhok province.
A security source told Iraq’s Al-Maluma base that Turkish helicopters also fired rockets at the village of Sakiri in the Dirluk district of Asat, Duhok.
He added: The Turkish military has also increased its presence and advance in the Korzar Heights of Dohuk Province, and has deployed more military units along the Iraqi-Turkish border.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and several Iraqi officials have previously called the operation a “violation of the sovereignty” of Baghdad, saying “Turkey has not coordinated with Baghdad on its operation.”
Turkey, however, had claimed that it was carrying out its attacks in coordination with Baghdad.
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Turkey’s emphasis on continuing military operations on Iraqi soil
In an interview with Al Jazeera Qatar yesterday (Monday), the Iraqi Foreign Minister specifically addressed the recent Turkish attacks on Iraqi territory, reiterating that “the reasons given by the Turkish side are not sufficient to use force inside Iraqi territory.”
In contrast, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a note of protest to Nazdar Ehsan Shirzad, Iraq’s caretaker ambassador to Ankara; A note criticizing statements by Iraqi officials; Statements made by several Iraqi officials and political figures who have previously said that the Turkish government’s claim of coordination with Baghdad to invade northern Iraq is not true.
Turkey has stated in this memorandum of understanding that «Organization P.K.K has been targeting Turkish territory from northern Iraq for 40 years, and Ankara regrets that Baghdad has not responded properly to its demands to end terrorist movements in that country; Movements that, according to Turkish officials, “also endanger the security and stability of Iraq.”
Last Wednesday, after repeated Turkish attacks on northern Iraq, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad al-Sahaf told Al-Iraqiya: The Turkish side makes excuses and claims that its actions are in violation of the sovereignty of Iraq to defend its national security; We must emphasize that Ankara has repeatedly stated that it has coordinated and agreed with the Iraqi government on these attacks, while this is not true and is just a claim.
Al-Sahaf added: An agreement has been reached between the Turkish side and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to expel the PKK militants from Iraq, thus providing an excuse for Turkey to continue violating Iraqi sovereignty.
An Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman added: Baghdad has the right to use all sources of power in response to Turkey at the bilateral or multilateral level.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador last Tuesday to issue a note of protest to the Iraqi government, urging Ankara to withdraw its forces from Iraq while respecting Iraq’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
A statement from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry stated that Ali Reza Gunay, Turkish Ambassador to Iraq following “continuous violations and insults by the Turkish army” (continuous attacks on Iraqi territory), including recent large-scale operations in Matina, Al-Zab, Afashin and Basian In northern Iraq, the “note of Al-Lahani’s strong protest was handed over to the Turkish ambassador and (that country) was asked to refrain from these provocative actions and unacceptable violations.”
The statement said: The Iraqi government again “demands the complete withdrawal of Turkish troops from Iraqi territory in a manner that” reflects respect for national (Iraqi) sovereignty. “