The Iraqi presidency has called on Turkey to apologize for what it says was the shelling of Sulaymaniyah airport in Iraq’s north, BNN Network reports.
The Iraqi government has also demanded that Turkey cease hostilities on Iraqi soil. The statement from the presidency follows a drone attack that hit the vicinity of Sulaymaniyah airport on Friday.
According to Lawk Ghafuri, head of foreign media affairs for the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), the attack caused no damage or delays or suspension of flights. The attack came just a few days after Turkey closed its airspace to aircraft travelling to and from Sulaymaniyah. Turkey cited intensified activity by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants as the reason for the closure.
The Iraqi presidency’s statement accused Turkey of intimidating civilians under the pretext that forces hostile to it are present on Iraqi soil. The statement further added that Turkey has no legal justification to continue its approach of intimidating civilians. The Iraqi government has called on Turkey to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Turkey has been carrying out cross-border operations against the PKK, which it considers a terrorist organization, in Iraq’s northern regions for years. The PKK, which has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey since the 1980s, has been using Iraq’s mountainous northern regions as a base to launch attacks against Turkish forces.
The recent incident has increased tensions between Iraq and Turkey. The Iraqi government has warned that it will take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The incident has also highlighted the ongoing conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which has led to a number of cross-border attacks and clashes over the years.
