Statements continue denouncing the Turkish bombing that targeted an airport in Sulaymaniyah Governorate in the Kurdistan Region yesterday, which led to the killing of three members of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces, who were buried today, and the wounding of three others, in an attack that is the latest of its kind in a series of attacks launched by Turkey inside Iraqi territory under the pretext of fighting elements. The Turkish Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which opposes Ankara.
Major General Yahya Rasoul, spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, said in a statement issued at dawn on Tuesday, “The plane entered Iraqi airspace at five o’clock in the evening on Monday, September 18, crossing the border with Turkey and bombing Arbat Airport in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, which led to To the martyrdom of three heroes of the Counter-Terrorism Service and the injury of three others.” He added, “This aggression constitutes a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. It represents a disturbance and threat to peace and security in the region and the world, a violation of the provisions of international law, and a violation of the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter.”
Rasoul stressed that “these repeated attacks are not consistent with the principle of good-neighborly relations between countries, and threaten to undermine Iraq’s efforts to build good and balanced political, economic, and security relations with its neighbors, and that Iraq reserves the right to put an end to these violations.”
The Iraqi presidency to summon the Turkish ambassador
In turn, the Presidency of the Republic confirmed its intention to summon the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad and deliver a letter of protest addressed to the Turkish Presidency.
The presidency said in a statement: “Day after day, systematic military attacks are escalating on Iraqi territory, specifically in the Kurdistan region, without military or security justification, as the aggression has targeted innocent civilians and military and security headquarters. We have made it clear to the concerned Turkish authorities on previous occasions that Iraq is ready to sit with The relevant security authorities are filling the gaps that Turkey believes are places of infiltration for those who want to harm its security, without seeing a real response to our calls.”
The statement added: “Some security violations and some military operations between neighboring countries are possible. However, launching successive military attacks that target cities and civilians, in addition to the military, is something that international law rejects and contradicts the principles of good neighbourliness, especially if the aggression is with weapons that are only used for open wars. Such as drones, which have become a common means of Turkish aggression against Iraqi lands.
The presidential statement concluded by saying: “Today we have taken the initiative to summon the relevant Iraqi security ministries to hear from them a detailed report. We will also conduct extensive contacts with the international community, in addition to summoning the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad to deliver a letter of protest addressed to the Turkish presidency.”
An international demand to stop violations of Iraq’s sovereignty
The United Nations Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) condemned the attack on Arbat Airport in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, and stressed that “the attacks that repeatedly violate Iraqi sovereignty must stop.”
She added, “Security concerns must be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy, not through strikes.”
The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani, expressed his condemnation and dissatisfaction with the Turkish attack on the airport, and said in a statement: “The relevant authorities must initiate a thorough investigation as soon as possible, reveal the causes and circumstances of this incident, and reveal the facts.”
While Barzani directed an urgent investigation into the incident, former representative of the National Union Party, Abdul Bari Zebari, demanded that the federal authorities undertake the investigation, given “the inability of the regional government to provide what is required for its citizens,” as he said.
The head of the Kurdistan Patriotic Union Party, Bafel Talabani, described targeting the airport as a “flagrant violation of the borders of the region and Iraq,” and called on the federal government in Baghdad to “assume its constitutional and national responsibilities in protecting the land and sky of Iraq, including Kurdistan.”
