Iraqi defense minister asks Turkey to withdraw troops

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry described the entry of an estimated 150 Turkish soldiers and 25 tanks as “an incursion” and rejected any military operation that was not coordinated with the federal government in Baghdad.

They were replacing Turkish troops which were sent to the region two-and-a-half years ago in order to train Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces to, Anatolia added.

But Turkey’s relationship with the Iraqi Kurds has been complicated by their new offensive against Kurdish militants in Syria – something which has also prompted sovereignty complaints from Iraq in the past.

The Kurdish regional government – which has forces in the area where the Turkish troops deployed and close ties with Ankara – indicated that Turkey aimed to expand the camp.

“The Iraqi authorities call on Turkey to… immediately withdraw from Iraqi territory”, a statement from his office said.

“Turkish support is crucial because it has helped cut Daesh’s supply lines and expedite the liberation of Mosul”, he added, stressing that the deployments “come within the context of Turkey’s participation in the global coalition [against Daesh]”.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu claimed that the troops’ rotation was routine and was requested by Mosul’s governor as part of ongoing training missions in coordination with Iraq’s defense ministry, according to Al Jazeera.

Abadi reiterated that foreign ground combat troops were not needed in Iraq.

Neverthless, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad to protest at the deployment of Turkish forces and demanded their immediate withdrawal.

The deployment “is considered a serious violation of Iraqi sovereignty”, the statement said.

“I believe there has been a misunderstanding that is now being resolved”, the official said.

Turkish soldiers nestled for the fight against terror IS militia are responsible for training in the northern Iraq.

Turkey has trained 2,500 troops from the Kurdish Peshmerga forces and 1,250 Arab troops, and aims to increase this number to 14,000 troops, the pro-government Sabah reported, citing people it didn’t identify.

Still, Mr. Abadi’s increasingly weak position in the face of Iranian pressure complicates matters for the United States as it considers increasing its military presence in Iraq to fight the Islamic State.