UAE denounces Turkish, Iranian interventions in Iraq

Foreign ministry warns Turkish and Iranian military interventions in northern Iraq violate Iraqi sovereignty.

CAIRO - The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday that Turkish and Iranian military interventions in Iraq violated the sovereignty of a sisterly Arab country.

"UAE denounced the Turkish and Iranian military interventions in brotherly Iraq, through their bombing of areas in northern Iraq, which constituted a violation of the sovereignty of a sisterly Arab country and led to intimidation and the spread of terror among innocent civilians," a foreign ministry statement said.

Early on Wednesday, Turkey's Defence Ministry said its warplanes had struck Kurdish forces in northern Iraq's Haftanin region. It was the second strike against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq in the space of three days.

Turkey had deployed special forces in northern Iraq in an operation against Kurdish rebels, backed by air and artillery support.

"Operation Claw-Tiger has begun. Our special forces heroes are in Haftanin," the defence ministry tweeted.

"Our commandos, who are supported by combat helicopters and drones, have been transported by our air force," it said.

The defence ministry justified launching the operation due to a "recent upsurge in attacks on our police stations and military bases" near the Iraqi border.

The move is likely to increase friction between Ankara and Baghdad, which on Tuesday summoned the Turkish ambassador to protest against Turkish air strikes on Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq this week.

Iraq's foreign ministry said in a statement it condemned "a violation of (its) sovereignty" during a Turkish aerial operation against bases of the PKK.