Ankara to Suspend Troop Deployments to Iraq Amid Baghdad’s Complains

After Iraqi authorities pledged to appeal to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in order to force Turkey to withdraw its military from the country’s territories, Ankara announced it would stop conveying its servicemen to Iraq.

Turkey will not continue to transfer its soldiers to the area next to the Daesh-controlled (also known as the Islamic state) city of Mosul in northern Iraq, Reuters reported. The move was made after Baghdad threatened to turn to the UNSC within 48 hours, in case if Ankara failed to withdraw its forces from Iraq.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu responded to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi with a letter, promising not to deploy additional military contingents in the war-torn country, but ignored the request to withdraw troops that have been already deployed to the area.

"No further forces will be deployed to Bashiqa until concerns of the Iraqi government are overcome," Davutoglu wrote in the letter as Reuters reported citing sources at the Turkish PM's office.

Davutoglu also added that Turkey aimed to strengthen its ties with Iraq in the fight against Daesh, adding that "those who are disturbed by the cooperation of Turkey and Iraq and who want to end it should not be allowed to attain their goal."

Hundreds of Turkish troops were sent to the country's military camp in Iraq's Bashiqa region Thursday, in an event that Ankara proclaimed was a "routine rotation" to train Iraqi soldiers to combat Daesh, who had seized the nearby city of Mosul.

Later it turned out that Turkey had not coordinated the move with authorities in Baghdad, who then demanded forces' withdrawal.

Reuters also reported that Washington was aware of Ankara's intentions, but according to military officials the move was not a part of the US-led campaign.