Iraq summons Turkey envoy following defence minister’s visit

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday summoned the Turkish chargé d’affaires to Baghdad and protested Defence Minister Hulusi Akar’s visit to a Turkish army base in northern Iraq.

The ministry said in a statement that it has handed the top Turkish diplomat in Iraq a “protest note” over the Turkish military forces’ continuing violations of Iraqi sovereignty.

“The Iraqi government has condemned the Turkish interior minister’s remarks regarding his country’s intention to establish a permanent military base in northern Iraq,” the Foreign Ministry statement said.

Foreign Ministry Senior Undersecretary, Nizar Al-Khairallah, said: “The Iraqi government categorically rejects the continuous violations of Iraqi sovereignty as well as land and airspace by Turkish military forces which contradict friendly relations, good neighbourliness, and relevant international laws and norms.”

On Saturday, the Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar visited the Turkish base in northern Iraq accompanied by Chief of the General Staff, General Yasar Guler, and Turkish Land Forces Commander, Umit Dundar, to supervise military operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara the US and EU have designated as a terror organisation.

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