As Turkish shelling in border areas of northern Iraq continues, Iraqi President Barham Salih emphasized today, Sunday, the necessity for Turkish troops to withdraw, stating that this military intervention in the north of the country is a violation of sovereignty and the principle of good neighborliness. He confirmed in a statement that Iraq rejects being a battleground for others and the infringement of its sovereignty, while also rejecting being a launchpad for aggression against anyone.
Furthermore, according to the Iraqi News Agency, he underscored "the importance of preventing the violation of Iraqi sovereignty and the withdrawal of Turkish forces from the regions of the Kurdistan region and Mosul, which are considered a breach of the principle of good neighborliness and a violation of international norms and agreements." He pointed out that "the recent attack on areas of the Makhmour camp is a grave escalation that endangers the lives of citizens, including refugees, and contradicts international and humanitarian law."
At the same time, he called for "strengthening relations with neighboring Turkey based on common interests and resolving border issues and security files through cooperation and coordination, while rejecting unilateral practices in addressing outstanding issues." These Iraqi statements came a day after three people were killed in a refugee camp in the north of the country.
The attack on the camp, which shelters thousands of Kurdish refugees from Turkey, occurred shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned Iraq that his country "will cleanse the camp that provides refuge to Kurdish militants." It is noted that Turkish forces have intensified their attacks on the bases of the PKK in northern Iraq over the past year, focusing their fire and incursions primarily on a stretch of territory extending up to 30 kilometers inside Iraqi borders. Despite the Iraqi government's repeated denunciations of Turkish violations, Ankara has announced that it will not hesitate to target the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, which it classifies as a terrorist organization.
