Ankara — Turkey has not launched an attack targeting civilians in Iraq’s Dofuk province. Eight people were killed and 23 were injured in the strike. Iraqi authorities should not fall into this “trap,” Foreign Minister Mevrut Chabsogur said Thursday.
Turkey rejected allegations by Iraqi authorities and state media on Wednesday that it had attacked a mountain resort in northern Dofuku.
Iraq has summoned Ankara’s Ambassador to Baghdad for the attack, and its state agency said the government would recall Ankara’s Chargé d’Affaires.
Cavusoglu told state broadcaster TRT Haber that Turkey’s military operations in Iraq were always opposed to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and that attacks on Dohuk were also carried out by terrorists.
Turkey regularly conducts airstrikes in northern Iraq and sends commands to support its attacks as part of a lengthy campaign in Iraq and Syria against terrorists by the People’s Defense Units of Kurdish and Syria. did. Ankara considers both to be terrorist groups.
Cavusoglu said the report blaming Turkey for the attack was an attempt by the PKK to thwart Ankara’s counterterrorism measures.
“The whole world knows that we will never carry out attacks on civilians,” said the Turkish army, adding to his ministry that such attacks were not carried out by Turkey. ..
“Following this attack, which we believe the (PKK) terrorist organization carried out, we are ready to meet with Iraqi officials. We can help raise the fog curtain. It is not right to blame Turkey until it is lifted. “
The PKK used force against the Turkish state in 1984. So far, more than 40,000 people have been killed in a conflict centered on southeastern Turkey where the PKK tried to create an ethnic home.
Dozens of Iraqi people gathered outside the Turkish embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday to protest the attack. The UN special envoy to Iraq also accused it and called for an investigation.
Cavusoglu said there were protests outside the embassy and other Turkish offices, but no reports of damage or injury.
By Tuvan Gumlukcu and Ece Toksabay
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