Iraqi Foreign Ministry Expresses Protest Over Turkish Airstrikes In Iraq - Statement

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Iraqi Foreign Ministry Expresses Protest Over Turkish Airstrikes in Iraq - Statement

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned on Friday the Turkish ambassador to the country, Fatih Yildiz, over the repeated violations of Iraqi airspace by the Turkish Air Force and airstrikes in northern Iraq, the ministry said in a statement.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th December, 2018) The Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned on Friday the Turkish ambassador to the country, Fatih Yildiz, over the repeated violations of Iraqi airspace by the Turkish Air Force and airstrikes in northern Iraq, the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, Turkish media reported, citing the country's General Staff, that a number of ammunition depots belonging to Kurdish militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and hideouts had been destroyed during airstrikes in the northern Iraqi regions of Haftanin, Zap and Hakurk.

"The Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish Ambassador to Baghdad Mr. Fatih Yildiz and handed him a letter of protest over the repeated air violations by Turkey. The ministry denounces the actions of Turkish aircraft that violate Iraqi airspace and target several sites in the areas of Mount Sinjar and Makhmour in northern Iraq, which caused loss of life and property," the statement said.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry called the Turkish strikes an act of violation of Iraqi sovereignty.

"Such acts violate Iraq's sovereignty and security of citizens and are unacceptable on all levels, contrary to the principles of good-neighborliness that bind together the two countries. The Foreign Ministry also reiterates its refusal to use Iraqi territory as a base or a corridor to carry out acts that effect the security of neighboring countries, and calls on the Turkish side to abide by this in order to maintain the friendly relations between the two countries," the statement added.

The PKK is officially listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey. The Turkish government has been fighting the group, which demanded to establish a Kurdish autonomy in Turkey, since the early 1980s. In 2013, the PKK and Ankara signed a ceasefire agreement, however, it collapsed just two years later over a number of terror attacks allegedly committed by the PKK militants. Turkish security forces carry out regular anti-PKK raids across the country and conduct airstrikes against the group in Iraq.