BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – Iraq said on Tuesday that the Turkish military incursion into Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region is a threat to Iraq’s national security and a violation of its sovereignty.
The latest Turkish military operation into the Iraqi frontier without coordinating with the Iraqi federal government is unacceptable, said a statement by the presidency.
The pending security issues in the border areas could be resolved through further coordination between the two countries and the Iraqi sovereignty must be respected, it added.
On Monday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said in a statement that the Turkish forces launched a new ground and air cross-border invasion against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq.
Turkish forces regularly carry out ground operations, airstrikes, and artillery bombardments against the positions of PKK militants in northern Iraq, especially the Qandil mountain range, where the main PKK bases are stationed.
Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf asserted that Baghdad rejects the Turkish military operations as illegal.
“Iraq considers this action a violation of its sovereignty and sanctity, as it is an act that violates international covenants and laws that regulate relations between countries,” al-Sahaf said in a statement published by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Tuesday.
“Baghdad will not allow the country to turn into a hotspot for foreign conflicts and retaliatory attacks,” he added.
Iraqi Shia Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr also warned Ankara about the repercussions of continued military operations in Iraq, saying Iraq will not remain silent should Turkey mount another military offensive.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Sadr slammed Turkey’s military operation as an “unjustified and inexcusable” act, saying that in order to fight any threat on Iraqi soil, Turkey should pursue joint operations with the Iraqi government.
Iraq is an independent, sovereign country, and any invasion or attempt to destabilize the country is not acceptable to Iraq, Sadr said, adding that invading neighboring countries that hold friendly ties with Iraq is also intolerable.