Iraq to Lodge Complaint With UNSC Over Turkish Troops Within 2 Days

Iraq will lodge a formal complaint with the UN Security Council (UNSC) within two days over Turkey's unsanctioned military presence in the country unless Turkish troops leave Iraqi ground, head of the Iraq parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Hassan Shoreed told Sputnik on Friday.

BAGHDAD (Sputnik) — On December 4, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to a base in the northern Iraqi Nineveh province, without Baghdad’s approval. Baghdad views the deployment as illegal.

"The Iraqi Foreign Ministry will lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council within the next two days unless Turkish troops leave the territory of Iraq," Shoreed said.

"If our demand is not met, the complaint will be forwarded through the Foreign Ministry," he added.

On Thursday, Iraq's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Jamal said that his country had urged the UNSC permanent members and other friendly states, to develop a single international stance on the presence of Turkish forces on its territory.

According to Ankara, the aim of the deployment was to provide security to Turkish soldiers deployed earlier at the base to train local militias, fighting Islamic State (IS, or Daesh in Arabic) group, which is outlawed in a number of countries worldwide, including Russia.