Iraq Files Complaint with Security Council over Turkish Artillery Strikes

Arab World

July 21st, 6:31am

Baghdad - Asharq Al-Awsat

People gather outside a hospital following Turkish shelling in the city of Zakho in the north of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region on July 20, 2022. (Photo by Ismael ADNAN / AFP)

At least nine civilians, including women and children, were killed, and 23 others were injured in a Turkish attack on the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. The victims of the Turkish artillery strikes included Iraqi tourists who had come to the hill village of Barakh in the Zakho district to escape sweltering temperatures in the country's south. Baghdad quickly slammed Ankara and filed a complaint with the UN Security Council. Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi confirmed that his country reserves its full right to respond to the Turkish attacks and will take all necessary measures to protect its people. "Turkish forces have perpetrated once more a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty," Kadhimi said, condemning the harm caused to "the life and security" of Iraqi citizens. The PM warned Turkey that Iraq reserves the "right to retaliate," calling the artillery fire a "flagrant violation" of sovereignty. Meanwhile, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, said that unfortunately, Turkey flagrantly attacked Iraq because it believed the only response would be condemnation from the Foreign Ministry. Sadr suggested reducing diplomatic representation, closing airports and land crossings, filing a UN complaint through official channels, and canceling the security agreement with Turkey unless it pledged not to bomb Iraqi territory. The Iraqi News Agency said that Iraq submitted a complaint to the Security Council regarding the Turkish aggression, adding that Baghdad has started a series of measures to stop the Turkish attack. A source at the Turkish Defense Ministry told Agence France Presse (AFP) that there is no information that "confirms or indicates bombing in this area." The head of the Zakho region, Mushir Bashir, told AFP that Turkey hit the village twice, adding that the victims were transported to the hospitals. He announced that a committee was formed to investigate the incident.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3770461/iraq-files-complaint-security-council-over-turkish-artillery-strikes