Iraq says it gave no authorization for the Turkish troops to cross the border.
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Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu has defended the deployment as an “act of solidarity” and said that when the threats (to the trainers) increased, they sent troops to protect the camp.
Davutoglu told Biden Turkey respected Iraq’s terroritorial integrity and was ready to contribute to its fight against the IS in coordination with Baghdad, according to the sources.
Ankara claims that its troops have been deployed in northern Iraq to train Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, and that the move was in line with previous agreements with the Baghdad government.
“We call on the Security Council to demand that Turkey withdraw its forces immediately… and not to violate Iraqi sovereignty again”, Iraqi Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim wrote in a letter to US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power who is presiding in the Security Council this month, as quoted by Reuters. “We have no such luxury”, Erdoğan said.
On Friday Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi instructed the foreign ministry to launch a formal complaint at the UNSC over an incursion nade by Turkish troops last week.
“This is a flagrant violation of the provisions and principles of the U.N. Charter and in violation of the sanctity of Iraqi territory”, a statement from his office said.
Baghdad however keeps on reminding Ankara daily that the latest deployment of some 150 soldiers and a few dozen tanks was done without the permission or consent of from Iraq.
“We will continue the training process decisively”, he said.
On Sunday, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian described the deployment of Turkish forces in northern Iraq as a wrong measure, saying it jeopardizes security across the region.
Iraq had already tried to solve the crisis with “peaceful and diplomatic means”, Abadi said in the televised address on Friday night.
Erdogan told reporters Thursday that the troops were deployed in 2014 in response to a request from the Iraqi government.
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“But we are not here to doubt the ability of our commander-in-chief, and as a brigade we are ready”, said Rubaie, who wore a military uniform and had a large Iraqi flag on a pole resting on his shoulder.
