Pro-gov’t coalition vows firm action against Turkey if northern Iraq threatened

Iraq would take a firm action against Turkey if the latter violated international laws and penetrated into northern Iraqi territories to strike Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters, a pro-government coalition was quoted as saying Wednesday.

In an exclusive interview with Baghdad Today, Abbas al-Bayati, a member of the State of Law Coalition, said that so far there are no confirmed or official reports of “any Turkish penetration into Iraqi territories.”

“Turkey cannot cross into Iraqi territories as our country enjoys sovereignty and independence,” Bayati said, stressing that any penetration by Turkish troops into Iraq would constitute a flagrant violation of international laws and norms of good neighborhood.

On Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım stressed that his country will not carry out any military operations against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters in Iraq without obtaining the approval of the Iraqi government first.

“Turkey respects Iraq’s sovereignty and will never commit any violation on its territories,” Yıldırım said in a phone call with his Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi.

Last week, Erdogan had vowed a strong action against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party to deter it from creating a new base in Sinjar, stressing that Turkish forces would attack if necessary.

Sources in northern Iraq said on Friday the PKK would withdraw from Sinjar following the Turkish threat to attack the area. The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.