ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador to file an official protest about its “repeated aerial violations” of Iraq’s borders.
"The ministry condemns the violation of Iraqi airspace by Turkish aircraft and the targeting of several sites in Mount Sinjar and Makhmour in northern Iraq, which resulted in the loss of lives and property,” read a statement from the ministry on Friday.
"Such acts violate the sovereignty of Iraq and its security and people, …[and] are contrary to the principle of good-neighbourliness,” it added.
Turkish jets bombed alleged PKK positions in Makhmour and Mount Shingal (also known as Sinjar) on Thursday night.
Three women and a 14-year-old girl were killed in the airstrike on Makhmour, where more than 12,000 Kurdish political refugees from Turkey are sheltering.
ANF news identified the four as Asya Ali Muhammed, 73, Narinc Ferhan Qasim, 26, Eylem Muhammed Emer, 23, and Evin Kava Mahmud, 14. Hundreds attended their funeral on Friday.
Their relatives and camp residents called on the regional and Iraqi governments, and the United Nations to protect them.
A group gathered in front of the UN office in the camp, condemning the agency’s silence.
“We condemn the attack launched by Turkey yesterday, which killed four civilians,” Flis Botag, member of Makhmour Camp Council, said in a press conference.
“Our living conditions are not good. Despite all this, the fascist Turkish state attacked us,” Sultan Yaldiz, a refugee living in the camp, told Rudaw.
Ankara contends that PKK guerrillas are present in these areas and pose a threat to Turkey.
The Foreign Ministry reiterated its stance that Iraqi soil should not be used as a "base or corridor to carry out actions against the security of neighboring countries."
Despite Baghdad’s objections, they have little ability to stop Turkey, which carries out forays into Iraqi territory on a near daily basis.
The Turkish Defence Ministry hailed its operation on Thursday that saw their planes hit targets they had never reached before.
More than 20 warplanes, accompanied by drones and refueling aircraft, went 165 kilometres into Iraqi territory, hitting the Mount Qarachogh area in Makhmour for the first time, the ministry announced on Friday.
Defence Minister Hulusi Akar dubbed the strikes “highly satisfactory and successful,” Anadolu Agency reported.
“All together, shoulder-to-shoulder, with the same perseverance and determination, we will continue operations until the last terrorist is neutralized,” he added.
Updated at 11:47 pm
"The ministry condemns the violation of Iraqi airspace by Turkish aircraft and the targeting of several sites in Mount Sinjar and Makhmour in northern Iraq, which resulted in the loss of lives and property,” read a statement from the ministry on Friday.
"Such acts violate the sovereignty of Iraq and its security and people, …[and] are contrary to the principle of good-neighbourliness,” it added.
Turkish jets bombed alleged PKK positions in Makhmour and Mount Shingal (also known as Sinjar) on Thursday night.
Three women and a 14-year-old girl were killed in the airstrike on Makhmour, where more than 12,000 Kurdish political refugees from Turkey are sheltering.
ANF news identified the four as Asya Ali Muhammed, 73, Narinc Ferhan Qasim, 26, Eylem Muhammed Emer, 23, and Evin Kava Mahmud, 14. Hundreds attended their funeral on Friday.
Their relatives and camp residents called on the regional and Iraqi governments, and the United Nations to protect them.
A group gathered in front of the UN office in the camp, condemning the agency’s silence.
“We condemn the attack launched by Turkey yesterday, which killed four civilians,” Flis Botag, member of Makhmour Camp Council, said in a press conference.
“Our living conditions are not good. Despite all this, the fascist Turkish state attacked us,” Sultan Yaldiz, a refugee living in the camp, told Rudaw.
Ankara contends that PKK guerrillas are present in these areas and pose a threat to Turkey.
The Foreign Ministry reiterated its stance that Iraqi soil should not be used as a "base or corridor to carry out actions against the security of neighboring countries."
Despite Baghdad’s objections, they have little ability to stop Turkey, which carries out forays into Iraqi territory on a near daily basis.
The Turkish Defence Ministry hailed its operation on Thursday that saw their planes hit targets they had never reached before.
More than 20 warplanes, accompanied by drones and refueling aircraft, went 165 kilometres into Iraqi territory, hitting the Mount Qarachogh area in Makhmour for the first time, the ministry announced on Friday.
Defence Minister Hulusi Akar dubbed the strikes “highly satisfactory and successful,” Anadolu Agency reported.
“All together, shoulder-to-shoulder, with the same perseverance and determination, we will continue operations until the last terrorist is neutralized,” he added.
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