Erbil condemns Qandil bombing as tension with Turkey escalates

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The presidency of the Kurdistan Region has condemned the newest wave of Turkish airstrike that reportedly led to the deaths of civilians in Rawanduz district on the outskirt of the Qandil Mountains of Iraq's Kurdistan region on Saturday. 

The office of President Masoud Barzani also called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the alleged target of the Turkish air raids, to leave the Kurdistan region so as not to endanger the lives of Kurdish civilians. The presidency called on Turkey and the PKK to return to the negotiation table.

The Baghdad government also denounced Turkey's bombardment on Iraqi territory, calling the airstrikes "a serious escalation and an assault" on Iraqi sovereignty. Iraq has demanded Turkey respect the good relationship between the two neighboring countries and not escalate the crisis.

The Turkish Foreign ministry responded by saying Baghdad's position was disappointing and claimed Iraq is unable to protect its own borders.

It added that Ankara is disappointed about the Iraqi government's "negative attitude" about Turkey's steps to thwart what it called "the terrorist attacks faced by our country." 

"Although the Iraqi Government emphasizes its commitment for not allowing any attack towards Turkey from the Iraqi territories, it is clear that this commitment has not been fulfilled and numerous armed PKK militants have continued to harbor in the Iraqi territory for years,” the statement added.