Iraq Tells Turkey to Stop Pursuing PKK Terrorists Over Border

Iraq asked Turkey on Tuesday to stop attacking terrorists from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) sheltering across the border in northern Iraq, as Turkey prepares to extend its internal mandate for the raids.
The Baghdad government's power over Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region is limited, but the comments are an indication of tensions with Turkey, which has given refuge to Iraq's fugitive vice president.

The Turkish government on Monday asked parliament to renew the mandate, expiring on Oct. 17, under which it has mounted mostly aerial raids on the PKK bases in Iraq's Kurdish region. Parliament is due to discuss it on Thursday.

"The cabinet objects to this motion, which contradicts the principle of good neighbourly relations," Iraqi government spokesman Ali Dabbagh said in a statement.

"It rejects the presence of any foreign bases or troops on Iraqi territory and the incursion of any foreign military forces into Iraqi lands on the pretext of hunting down rebels," he added, complaining of a "violation of Iraqi sovereignty and security".

He said the cabinet had advised parliament to cancel or refuse to renew any pre-existing agreements that would permit foreign states to enter Iraqi territory.

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Turkish air strike killed 36 civilians

The deaths of 36 people, who may have been locals smuggling in goods from northern Iraq, killed in an overnight airstrike by Turkish warplanes in southeastern Turkey have led to doubts about the intelligence sources on which the military relied before conducting the operation.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Çelik held a press conference Thursday evening, saying the incident was the result of an “operational accident” that was caused by a mistake or intelligence failure. He said both a legal and an administrative probe were underway to name those responsible for the deadly error. “If there was a mistake, it will not be covered up in any way and the necessary legal action will be taken.”

A statement from the Şırnak Governor's Office said 35 people were killed and another was injured in the airstrikes. However, hospital records indicate a death toll of 36.

The Turkish military released a statement Thursday that said the area struck was the Sinat-Haftanin region of northern Iraq, where the primary Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) bases are located and where there are no civilian inhabitants.

“Administrative and judicial investigations are underway and procedures are being followed with respect to the incident,” the General Staff said.

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Turkish jets raid northern Iraq

Terrorists attacked a military outpost near the Iraqi border early on Saturday, sparking clashes in which at least eight soldiers and 12 terrorists were killed, Turkey's military said. Fourteen other soldiers were wounded in the fighting.
The military immediately sent special forces as reinforcements to the area while helicopter gunships and artillery fire targeted terror positions, the military said in a statement.

Separately, Turkish warplanes attacked terrorist hideouts across the border in northern Iraq, it said.

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists have dramatically stepped up attacks in Turkey in recent months, threatening a government attempt to end one of the world's longest conflict. Six soldiers were killed and seven others wounded last month in a rocket attack on a vehicle near a naval base in southern Turkey.

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Turkish jets raid northern Iraq

Terrorists attacked a military outpost near the Iraqi border early on Saturday, sparking clashes in which at least eight soldiers and 12 terrorists were killed, Turkey's military said. Fourteen other soldiers were wounded in the fighting.
The military immediately sent special forces as reinforcements to the area while helicopter gunships and artillery fire targeted terror positions, the military said in a statement.
Separately, Turkish warplanes attacked terrorist hideouts across the border in northern Iraq, it said.

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists have dramatically stepped up attacks in Turkey in recent months, threatening a government attempt to end one of the world's longest conflict. Six soldiers were killed and seven others wounded last month in a rocket attack on a vehicle near a naval base in southern Turkey.

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