Iraq's popular groups warn Turkey against new incursion
An Iraqi politician says the Turkish army appears to be preparing for an incursion into Sinjar Mountains in northern Iraq near the Syrian border.
Hadi al-Amiri, the head of Fatah (Conquest) Alliance at the Iraqi parliament, said Saturday while Iraqis expected Turkish troops to withdraw from the town of Bashiqa deep inside Iraq and recently occupied border territories, Turkey was primed for a further invasion and occupation of the Arab country.
Turkey must stop its “hostile acts” which do not serve the interests of either state, he said in a statement carried by al-Sumaria television network.
He called on the Iraqi government to "take all necessary measures to prevent any encroachment on the Iraqi territory."
Amiri noted that Iraqi Armed Forces, security agencies and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), commonly known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, are capable of defending their homeland against any possible Turkish incursion.
The Turkish army regularly conducts operations and air raids against outlawed PKK terrorists in southeast Turkey as well as northern Syria and Iraq. Both neighboring countries view Ankara's operations as violation of their sovereignty.
On Wednesday, Turkey launched operation "Claw-Eagle 2" against the PKK militants in Iraq’s northern Gara region.
Iraq's popular groups warn Turkey against new incursion 2