Iraq is officially protesting Turkey's violation of its sovereignty

English - Tuesday 04 May 2021 الساعة 01:31 pm
NewsYemen, agencies:

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish Chargé d'Affairs to Baghdad, on Monday, after Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar entered Iraqi territory "without approval."

A foreign ministry statement said that the ministry delivered the charge d'affaires of the Turkish embassy a protest memo, in which the Iraqi government expressed its "strong resentment and condemnation of the presence of the Turkish Defense Minister Khulosi Akar in the Iraqi territories, without coordination or prior approval by the competent authorities, and his meeting with Turkish forces present inside Illegally Iraqi territories. "

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also condemned "the statements of the Turkish Interior Minister regarding Turkey's intention to establish a permanent military base in northern Iraq."

The senior representative of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, Nizar al-Khair Allah, affirmed that "the Iraqi government categorically rejects the continuing violations of Iraqi sovereignty and the inviolability of Iraqi lands and airspace by the Turkish military forces."

The Iraqi official pointed out that "continuing with such an approach is inconsistent with friendly relations, good neighborliness, and relevant international laws and norms."

Al-Khair Allah stressed the need to remind the neighbor Turkey that relying on unilateral military solutions cannot be the effective way to settle common security challenges.

On Saturday, Akar was inspecting a military base for his country in northern Iraq, accompanied by Chief of General Staff Yashar Guler, and Commander of the Land Forces, Umit Dundar.

Turkey launches attacks on Kurdish forces in both Syria and Iraq, and says it is linked to the Turkish Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara classifies as a terrorist.