Arab Parliament calls for international action to stop Turkish attacks on Iraqi soil

Duvar English

The Arab Parliament on Aug. 12 affirmed its solidarity with Iraq and called on the UN Security Council to take urgent action against Turkey to stop the Turkish military's attacks on the Iraqi soil. The Arab Parliament's statement came following the death of two Iraqi border guards as a result of a Turkish drone strike on Aug. 11.

According to the Arab media outlets, the Arab Parliament's speaker Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Salami said in a statement that he considers the Turkish drone strike as a "dangerous invasion of Iraq's sovereignty" and a violation of international law and norms and the UN charter.

“Such blatant hostile behavior and repeated violations of the law by Turkish forces is a dangerous invasion of Iraqi sovereignty and a clear violation of the UN Charter and international law. These actions by Turkey are a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a lack of respect for friendly neighborly relations,” Al-Salami's statement read.

The statement also said that the Arab Parliament is ready to work with the Iraqi parliament for mobilizing the international and regional support to stop such Turkish assaults.

The Arab League on Aug. 12 similarly condemned the Turkish drone attack on Iraqi soil. "This is a blatant violation of Iraq's sovereignty, the international law and good neighborliness," Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit was quoted as saying by Arab media outlets.

A Turkish drone strike on Aug. 11 in the Sidakan area in northeastern Iraq, near the Turkish and Iranian borders, killed two members of Iraq’s border guard and the driver of the vehicle they were in, the Iraqi military said, as it also called the attack “a flagrant aggression.”

Following the Turkish military's strike, Iraq cancelled on Aug. 11 Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar’s visit to the country which was scheduled for Aug. 13, Iraq’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also summoned the Turkish ambassador to hand him “a strong protest note and inform him of Iraq’s confirmed rejection of his country’s attacks and violations,” the statement added.

The drone strike happened as the officers “were in meetings with” members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Ihsan al-Chalabi, mayor of Sidekan, was quoted by Rudaw as saying.

The airstrikes follow renewed Turkish offensives in the Kurdistan Region.

Turkey launched new operations in the Kurdistan Region and disputed territories in mid-June. Air offensive Operation Claw-Eagle began on June 15, with a ground offensive, dubbed Operation Claw-Tiger, launched on June 17.