Iran cleric: Turkey troop deployment detrimental to all

Baghdad addressed the UN Security Council demanding an unconditional and immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops from the Iraqi territory to put an end to the “aggressive act” and “flagrant violation” of global legislation.

A similar demonstration was held in the city of al-Diwaniyah, where hundreds of people censured Turkey’s military intervention in Iraq, urging the Iraqi government to expel the Turkish Ambassador to Baghdad Faruk Kaymakci and sever all ties with Ankara.

“In a comprehensive plot hatched through coordination with the worldwide coalition, Turkey is seeking to occupy a part of the Iraqi and Syrian territories to create a Sunni-dominated region, ” member of Iraq’s State of Law Coalition Sa’d al-Matlabi told Fars News Agency on Saturday.

Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has also joined the fray, saying that the Turkish deployment was done “under the pretext” of helping fight “IS”, while Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Friday reiterated his warning that Iraq would protect its sovereignty by “any means”.

Turkey has stationed troops near Mosul since a year ago, but the arrival of additional troops last week sparked an uproar in Baghdad, forcing Turkey to halt the new deployment.

Ankara has refused, saying the troops were part of an worldwide mission to train and equip Iraqi forces to fight IS militant group, which still controls a large part of the country. Iraq, however, denies any such deal. “Erdogan asked rhetorically before adding”, We have no such luxury”.

Thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets of Baghdad and Basra to protest against Turkey’s deployment of troops in the north of the country.

On Dec. 11, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz would shortly pay a visit to Baghdad upon a consensus reached with Iraqi Foreign Minister İbrahim al-Jaafari.

Approximately 150 Turkish soldiers were deployed near Mosul on December 4 to reportedly replace training forces already in the area.

“Turkish troops in Mosul are not there as combatants; they are trainers”.

It did not say what the troop reorganization would involve, but said agreement was reached to start work on creating mechanisms to deepen cooperation with the Iraqi government on security issues.