Speaking to Al Arabiya television, Iraqi Defense Minister Juma Inad said: “Turkey has not responded to Baghdad’s calls to withdraw from the Zelkan military base. A brigade of Turkish soldiers entered 20 kilometers into northern Iraq.”
Referring to the artillery attack in Zakho, the Iraqi Minister said that “Turkey used 155 mm heavy artillery in its latest artillery attack.”
Stating that Turkey is a neighboring and friendly country, Inad said that “the PKK entered the depths of Iraq by taking advantage of the conditions.”
Saying that they proposed to Turkey to establish joint centers in Diyarbakir and Mosul, he stressed that they were surprised by the Zakho attack.
“Turkey is responsible for killing civilians in Zakho,” the Iraqi Defense Minister said, adding that this would not go unpunished.
On July 20, the Turkish army attacked the Perex resort in the Zakho border region, killing 9 Iraqi tourists, including women and children, and injuring 29 others.
In addition to Iraq, several countries have issued statements strongly condemning the attack. The Iraqi government once again protested to the United Nations Security Council after the attack.
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