Iraq Calls for UN Security Council Resolution Condemning Turkish Invasion

Further, he said that According to a 16 December statement from the Turkish General Staff, two Iraqis were killed and four Turkish troops were wounded when the training base in Bashiqa, in northern Iraq was targeted by rocket fire from positions under ISIL control.

Turkey deployed hundreds of troops in the Bashiqa area this month, with the stated aim of protecting its military personnel training Iraqi militia to fight against Islamic State. “First, condemn that illegal Turkish occupation and invasion”, which violated Iraq’s sovereignty as well as UN Charter and global law. Turkey responded by accusing Iraq of sabotaging the fight against Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS/ISIL).

The Turkish government didn’t say where the troops would move to.

The Security Council met Friday following a request from Iraq.

On Dec. 4, Turkey reinforced the force protection component of its units in the camp due to increasing threats to their security.

The White House said on Friday that Obama phoned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as part of a continued diplomatic push by Washington to end the crisis between Iraq and Turkey.

The United States has significantly ratcheted up pressure on the Turkish government to withdraw recently dispatched troops out of Iraq, with US President Barack Obama reaching out to his Turkish counterpart to resolve a row that has developed between the two US allies.

Now what I can clearly see is that although the United States is now calling on Turkey to withdraw its forces but it is inconceivable that those Turkish forces which are part of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation have actually entered Iraqi territory without the full blessing and consent of the Americans.

Turkey’s ambassador to the U.N., Halit Cevik, told reporters that Turkish troops were in Iraq to protect not only the trainers but also Iraq’s “territorial integrity”.