Russian Foreign Ministry: We Strongly Oppose Turning Iraq into a Regional Battleground

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Moscow reaffirms its principled support for the stability and security of Iraq and firmly opposes turning its territory into a battleground. The ministry's statement said: "We reaffirm our principled and steadfast support for the stability and security of our friendly Iraq. We strongly oppose the transformation of its territory into a regional confrontation area." Recently, the Security Media Cell in Iraq reported that the tourist resort of Barkh village in the Darkar district of Zakho in Dohuk province in northern Iraq was subjected to intense artillery shelling last Wednesday, resulting in the death of 8 citizens and injuring 23 tourists. The Iraqi government accused the Turkish side of this shelling.