Iraq's president says Turkey's offensive into KRG 'a threat to our national security'

Photo: MA

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Iraq's President Barham Salih has called for an end to Turkey's new military offensive into the Kurdistan Region in the country's north.

Describing the operation as "a clear threat to our security," Mezopotamya Agency (MA) quoted Salih as saying. "We reject the continued attacks of the Turkish state."

"These attacks were carried out despite our warnings. We have previously called for these attacks to be stopped," said the president, calling for dialogue for the solution of the problems.

"We are in favor of solving the problems through dialogue and democratic methods. We have made a lot of calls regarding the issue. We do not accept Turkey's continued attacks. We expect our sovereign rights to be respected."

Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr also called on Ankara to cease the operation.

"Neighboring Turkey has bombed the Iraqi lands unjustly and without pretext, and if there is any danger on it [Turkey] from the Iraqi lands, it [Turkey] must coordinate with the Iraqi government to end the danger for the Iraqi security forces are capable of doing that," Sadr wrote in a statement on Twitter, according to a translation by Rudaw.

In the early hours of April 18, Turkey's Ministry of Defense announced the start of the "Operation Claw-Lock" targeting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Iraq's Kurdistan Region.

Latest in a series of operations into the region dubbed as the "Claw Operations" since May 2019, the offensive focuses on Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan areas, according to the ministry. (AEK/VK)