Baghdad demands Ankara apology, calls for withdrawal of Turkish forces
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Iraq mourns the victims of the bombing that killed 9 civilians and wounded dozens at a tourist resort in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
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The funeral of the victims was preceded by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announcing Thursday a day of national mourning (Credits: Shafaq)
Iraqis mourned Thursday the victims of the bombing that Iraq blamed on Turkey, which killed nine civilians in a tourist resort in Dohuk Governorate in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
The victim's bodies were transported by a military plane from Dohuk to Erbil Airport, before landing at Baghdad International Airport.
The funeral of the victims was preceded by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announcing Thursday a day of national mourning, in light of the rising popular anger in Iraq.
Iraq hands strongly worded protest note to Turkish ambassador
Earlier, Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that the Iraqi Foreign Ministry handed a strongly worded protest note to the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad that expressed Iraq’s condemnation of the bombing in Dohuk and demanded the withdrawal of Turkish forces from all Iraqi lands.
According to our correspondent, the Iraqi protest note called on Turkey to provide an official apology and to compensate the families of the martyrs and the wounded.
It is noteworthy that following the attack, Baghdad recalled its charge d'affaires from Ankara for consultations and summoned the Turkish Ambassador for talks after accusing Ankara of artillery fire that killed the nine civilians.
Ankara denies responsibility & blames PKK
On the other hand, Ankara denied responsibility for the attack and accused the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) of responsibility for the bombing.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry denied responsibility for the bombardment, claiming that these "kinds of attacks" were committed by "terrorist organizations".
On its Twitter account, the Turkish embassy in Baghdad offered its condolences to "our brother Iraqis killed by the PKK terrorist organization."
Angry protests against Turkey
The deaths prompted angry demonstrations against Turkey in cities across Iraq.
On Wednesday, several Iraqi cities and governorates witnessed demonstrations condemning the targeting of civilians in the Dohuk bombing, where demonstrators burned Turkish flags and raised pictures criticizing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In Baghdad, dozens of demonstrators protested outside the Turkish visa office early Thursday, as protesters chanted slogans demanding the expulsion of the Turkish ambassador, an AFP journalist reported.
Officials condemn Duhok bombing
On Wednesday, Al-Kadhimi warned Turkey that Iraq reserves its "right to retaliate," calling the artillery fire a "flagrant violation" of sovereignty.
"Turkish forces have perpetrated once more a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty," he said on Twitter, condemning the harm caused to "the life and security of Iraqi citizens" and reserving Iraq's right to retaliate.
On his part, Iraq's President Barham Salih considered the shelling a violation of his country's sovereignty and a threat to its national security.
Salih said the repetition of such shelling is totally unacceptable after previous Iraqi calls to stop such actions that go against international law and the rules of good neighborliness.
Al-Sadr proposes four escalatory steps against Turkey
On his part, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada Al-Sadr, proposed four escalatory steps against Turkey in response to the shelling that targeted the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
In a tweet, Al-Sadr suggested reducing diplomatic ties with Ankara, closing airports and land border crossings, filing an official complaint to the United Nations, and canceling all security agreements with Turkey.
The Iraqi leader considered that Turkey has increased its impudence, thinking that Iraq can only respond with a weak condemnation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
International condemnation
Similarly, a number of deputies in the Iraqi parliament demanded expelling the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad, severing trade exchange with Turkey, and boycotting Turkish goods.
In the same context, Egypt offered its condolences to the families of the victims of the attack and stressed the need to respect the principles and decisions of international law related to the protection of civilians.
Germany's Foreign Ministry said that "the circumstances of the attack and those responsible" must be urgently investigated.
"The German government assigns great importance to respect for Iraq's state sovereignty and international law," it said.
Similarly, the Canadian embassy in Baghdad stressed the importance of conducting a comprehensive investigation.
"Iran considers the security of Iraq as its own security"
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that "Iran considers the security of Iraq as its own security and will not hesitate to provide any assistance in this regard."
Tehran said it was recalling its charge d'affaires from Ankara and demanded an official apology from Turkey along with "the withdrawal of its armed forces from all Iraqi territory."
