SULAIMANIYA, Iraq, July 20 (Reuters) – Iraq’s authorities will name again the Iraqi cost d’affaires in Turkey for session after accusing Ankara of finishing up a strike on a mountain resort within the northern province of Dohuk, the state information company INA reported. learn extra

Turkey rebutted claims by Iraq that it had carried out a strike that killed eight vacationers and wounded one other 23 individuals, saying the attack was a terror act.

The “fierce artillery bombing” hit a resort in Zakho, a metropolis on the border between Iraq’s Kurdistan area and Turkey, Iraq state TV stated.

Iraq’s Cabinet additionally directed the overseas ministry to summon the Turkish envoy in Baghdad to protest in opposition to the attack. learn extra

“The Turkish forces committed blatant violation of the sovereignty of Iraq,” Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi wrote on Twitter. President Barham Salih additionally condemned the attack.

The United States stated it strongly backed Iraq’s sovereignty.

“The killing of civilians is unacceptable, and all states must respect their obligations under international law, including the protection of civilians,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated.

Children had been amongst the victims, together with a 1-year-old, the Kurdish well being minister stated in an announcement, including that all of the victims died earlier than reaching a hospital.

“We go towards the mountainside, there are strikes. We go towards the waterfall, there are strikes. We go towards this side, there are strikes,” stated Mustafa Alaa, 24, who was on the resort with a pal when the attack occurred.

“We pulled up the fence that was around the waterfall. We looked from inside, I saw children lying on the ground. … It’s a scene that I’ve never seen in my life,” Alaa added.

Turkey’s overseas ministry stated Ankara was saddened to listen to of the casualties within the attack, and added that Turkey took most care to keep away from civilian casualties or damaging historic, cultural websites in its counter-terrorism operations in opposition to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia and others.

“Turkey is ready to take every step for the truth to come out,” the ministry stated in an announcement, including that Turkish navy operations had been in keeping with worldwide legal guidelines.

“We call on the Iraqi government to not make remarks influenced by the heinous terrorist organisation’s rhetoric and propaganda, and to engage in cooperation to uncover the perpetrators of this cruel act,” it stated, referring to the PKK.

Turkey repeatedly carries out air strikes in northern Iraq and has despatched commandos to help its offensives as a part of a long-running marketing campaign in Iraq and Syria in opposition to militants of the Kurdish PKK and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. Ankara regards each as terrorist teams.

The PKK took up arms in opposition to the Turkish state in 1984.

More than 40,000 individuals have been killed within the battle, which prior to now was primarily targeted in southeast Turkey the place the PKK sought to create an ethnic homeland.

Dozens of Iraqis gathered exterior the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad to protest the attack. The high United Nations envoy to Iraq additionally condemned it in an announcement revealed on Twitter and referred to as for an investigation.

Reporting by Ali Sultan in Sulaimaniya, Kawa Omar in Zakho and Yasmin Hussein in Cairo; Additional reporting by Thaier Al-Sudani in Baghdad, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay in Ankara and Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; Writing by Amina Ismail; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel, Andrew Cawthorne, Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis

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