Iraq observed July 21 as a national day of mourning for the "martyrs" who were killed on account of the "brutal Turkish bombing" of a mountain resort in Kurdistan's Dohuk province on Wednesday. The attack resulted in the death of 8 tourists and had injured more than 24 people.
Having vowed to "bring the aggressors accountable," Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi personally accepted the victims' bodies on Thursday at the Baghdad International Airport.
Al-Kadhimi had declared in a statement hours after the incident that "the Turkish Forces perpetrated a clear and obvious violation of the sovereignty of Iraq, and the lives and security of Iraq residents." He had also said that the "brutal attack reinforced the reality that Turkey disregarded Iraq's repeated requests to cease military violation against Iraqi land and the lives of its people."
Al-Kadhimi, who serves as the country's commander-in-chief and called an urgent meeting of his Ministerial Council for National Security to "examine the repercussions," has stated that Iraq reserves its entire right to retaliate against the assault.
The former head of intelligence agreed to a number of actions and instructed his Foreign Ministry to compile a thorough report on Turkey's ongoing violations of Iraqi sovereignty and to file a formal complaint to the UN Security Council as soon as possible.
The Council also agreed to recall the Iraqi Charge d'Affaires from Ankara for consultation and halt ongoing proceedings for choosing a new Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey. In addition to recalling the Turkish Ambassador to Iraq to convey the censure. Iraq is also requesting that Turkey provide a formal apology and leave its territory with no military presence.
While denying any involvement in the Dohuk bombings, Turkey maintains that Kurdish separatist groups, who are predominantly active in a region of northern Iraq and southeast Turkey, constitute a threat to its national security.
Iraqi soldier, Islamic State militant killed in Iraq
Saudi Arabia, Iraq sign electric power grids deal
Shehbaz, Modi meeting may take place in Uzbekistan at SCO summit