Davutoglu: Turkish troops will not enter Mosul

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has reportedly reassured Iraq that Turkish troops would not be sent into the city of Mosul without Baghdad’s consent, after Iraq demanded that Turkey withdraw troops within 48 hours.

"There will be no deployment of forces to Bashika (Mosul city) until the sensitivities of Iraq are addressed," Davutoglu was quoted as saying by the Turkish Anadolu Agency.

The agency said Davutoglu had conveyed his message in a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. He said Turkey would support Iraq in the fight against ISIS and that Ankara is willing to further increase its cooperation with Baghdad.

After Abadi announced last week that Turkish forces had entered Iraq, Ankara revealed it had been training Kurdish Peshmerga forces and was sending in 150 fresh trainers to relieve the other teams.

On Sunday, Baghdad said that Turkish troops must leave within 48 hours.

“Turkey’s forces have entered Iraq without our consent and the Iraqi government has not been informed. We consider the act as a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and disrespecting a neighbor,” said a statement late Sunday by Abadi.

“Baghdad has all the right to use all means against Turkey, including contacting the (UN) Security Council, if Turkish forces do not leave the land in 48 hours,” it warned.