Iraq, Turkey engulfed in Diplomatic spat over alleged attack

Iraq and Turkey have engulfed in a Diplomatic spat after Iraq accused the latter of a deadly attack that killed 9 in a Kurd park.

The artillery shells hit a park in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and killed 9 civilians, according to the country. Most of those killed were Iraqi tourists and children are said to be among the dead. Over 20 people were injured.

Blaming Turkey for the attack, Iraq has called its charge d’affaires from Ankara. Turkey however, has blamed the Kurdistan Workers’ Party for the attack. The strike was carried out at the Turk-Iraq border in the Iraqi region of Kurdistan which Turkey has long attacked in a bid to dispel Kurdish fighters. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party is a terror group – also considered by the US, UK, and EU – that has been involved in an armed conflict with Ankara, wanting a separate state run by Kurds.

Since the attack, Iraq has not only called its charge d’affaires back but also summoned the Turkish Ambassador in Baghdad, demanding he apologizes for his government’s actions.

Iraqi Prime Minister in a tweet said that the Turkish forces “committed blatant violation of the sovereignty of Iraq.” Turkey however, has said that “terrorist organizations” conducted this attack and that the Iraqi government should refrain from getting influenced by “terrorist propaganda.”