The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has voiced its protest against the Turkish airstrikes on areas in its territories, calling on Turkey to respect Iraq's sovereignty.
"While we are keen to establish long-term strategic relations and to prevent acts emanating from Iraqi territory against the security of neighbouring Turkey, we believe that unilateral acts of war violate Iraqi sovereignty, Good neighbourliness that regulates the relations between two neighbouring peoples, and constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law," Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Saturday June 29th.
On Thursday June 27th, Turkey launched airstrikes hit the Qandil Mountains, killing three people and wounded four. According to local sources, the latest Turkish airstrike killed and injured seven civilians, who were all from the same family.
The Turkish Ministry of Defence announced ‘Operation Claw’ to hunt down members of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), inside Iraqi Kurdistan. Turkish military and intelligence bases were set up in Iraqi Kurdistan since the 1990’s. And the Turkish army established another camp in Baishika, Nineveh, allegedly to fight Isis.
"No matter what are the circumstances and justifications, we emphasise the importance that the Turkish side stops the bombing of Iraqi areas, the need to respect our sovereignty, and mutual cooperation to ensure the security of the borders of the two countries, because the violation of Iraqi sovereignty is a violation of international humanitarian law," the statement reads.
Operation Claw was launched on May 28th, 2019, when Turkish troops backed by tanks, entered the territories of the Iraqi Kurdistan region, penetrating as far as 30 km.