Iraq-Turkey tensions soar over Mosul operation

AFP, ANKARA: Iraq and Turkey on Wednesday were summoning their respective ambassadors in an increasingly acrimonious dispute between the two neighbours ahead of a planned operation to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from jihadists.
Ankara called in the Iraqi ambassador while Baghdad said it had decided to summon the Turkish envoy following bitter verbal exchanges, the two foreign ministries said.
The Turkish parliament at the weekend extended by one year a government mandate allowing its troops to deploy on Iraqi soil—as well as Syrian territory—a decision the Iraqi parliament then rejected, calling for the withdrawal of the Turkish troops.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also warned of possible sectarian consequences arising from the Mosul operation, prompting the Iraqi foreign ministry to summon the Turkish ambassador over “provocative Turkish statements on the battle to liberate Mosul.”

Iraq-Turkey tensions soar over Mosul operation

AFP, ANKARA: Iraq and Turkey on Wednesday were summoning their respective ambassadors in an increasingly acrimonious dispute between the two neighbours ahead of a planned operation to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from jihadists. Ankara called in the Iraqi ambassador while Baghdad said it had decided to summon the Turkish envoy following bitter verbal exchanges, the two foreign ministries said. The Turkish parliament at the weekend extended by one year a government mandate allowing its troops to deploy on Iraqi soilas well as Syrian territorya decision the Iraqi parliament then rejected, calling for the withdrawal of the Turkish troops. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also warned of possible sectarian consequences arising from the Mosul operation, prompting the Iraqi foreign ministry to summon the Turkish ambassador over provocative Turkish statements on the battle to liberate Mosul.