Turkey condemns ‘heinous terror attack' near Tuz Khurmatu

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Turkey has "strongly condemned" a deadly attack at a checkpoint in Tuz Khurmatu that killed six people and injured 15 others.

"We strongly condemn this heinous terror attack perpetrated against our brothers and sisters, including women and children," stated the Turkish foreign ministry.

Six people were killed and 15 others injured, according to a Hashd al-Shaabi press release, when a convoy containing at least two families were attacked at a non-government checkpoint between Tuz Khurmatu and Daquq on Tuesday. 

"We have learned with sorrow that a group of Iraqi Turkmens were attacked by Daesh [ISIS] on their way from Baghdad to Erbil to attend Nowruz celebrations and some people lost their lives and wounded, continued the Turkish statement.

ISIS has claimed the attack.

Ankara called on Iraqi authorities "to take necessary measures immediately in order to eliminate security threats against the Iraqi Turkmens, who have recently been subjected to attacks by various terrorist groups."

The Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa) said one of their MPs were a part of the convoy, but escaped uninjured.

"The incident took place while the convoy of MP Imad Youkhana (Deputy Secretary General of ADM) was passing by on his way to Kirkuk on Tuesday evening. A number of leaders, and cadres of [Zowaa] were a part of the convoy as well, and they all arrived safely to their destination," tweeted the Christian party on Tuesday.

Zowaa also tweeted that the attack wounded "a number of unarmed civilians."

Turkish MP Niyazi Mimamr Oglu in the Iraqi parliament blames Kurdistan Regional Government for not providing security in the disputed or Kurdistani area claimed by both Baghdad and Erbil.

Travel into the Kurdistan Region has swelled over the past week for Newroz celebrations and the emergence of spring's warmer temperatures.

Tuz Khurmatu, home to Kurds, Turkmen, and Arabs, came fully under Iraqi and Hashd control in October when the Peshmerga pulled out of the disputed areas. Kurdish people and their homes and buildings there were targeted with violent attacks, arson, and looting.

Kurdish Peshmerga and the Iraqi army "coordinated beautifully" in counter-ISIS operations in the area in February, according to officials.

Despite this, Oglu said this week that Kurds are responsible for the recent attack because ISIS can easily move throughout the disputed areas. He also said that Kurds have to come terms that "Article 140 is dead," referring to an unimplemented article of the Iraqi constitution that concerns the fate of the disputed areas.