Moscow Voices Support for Iraq Sovereignty Amid Turkish Troops' Incursion

© AP Photo / Burhan OzbiliciTurkish army tank is seen stationed near Cizre, some 35 kilometers from Turkish-Iraq border (File)
Turkish army tank is seen stationed near Cizre, some 35 kilometers from Turkish-Iraq border (File) - Sputnik International
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Russia's Foreign Ministry expressed support for the sovereignty of Iraq following the deployment of Turkish troops in the north of the country.

Protesters shout slogans during a demonstration against the Turkish military deployment in Iraq, at Tahrir Square in central Baghdad, Iraq, December 12, 2015 - Sputnik International
Thousands Protest in Baghdad Against Deployment of Turkish Troops to Iraq
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Moscow supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a phone conversation with his Iraqi counterpart in light of the presence of Turkey's troops in Iraq's north.

"The Iraqi minister spoke about the development of the situation surrounding the illegal deployment of a Turkish military contingent to Iraq's north and Baghdad's address to the UN Security Council on the issue," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

On December 4, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to a base in the Iraqi Nineveh province, without Baghdad’s approval.

"The Russian side expressed firm support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and actions taken by Iraqi authorities in this regard in line with international law and the UN Charter," Lavrov stressed.

Earlier on Saturday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said it had officially filed a complaint with the UN Security Council regarding Turkey’s deployment of troops to Iraq’s north, calling on the UN to ensure an immediate withdrawal of the Turkish forces from Iraq.

According to Ankara, the aim of the troops deployment in Iraq is to provide security to Turkish soldiers deployed earlier to train Kurdish militia who are fighting the Islamic State (IS, or Daesh in Arabic), a group outlawed in Russia and other countries.

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