International community: Zakho attack is unacceptable
As Iraq prepares to file a complaint against Turkey in the UN Security Council about the artillery attack which killed nine and wounded many others on a riverside resort in northern Duhok region, many countries expressed unity and solidarity with the country.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday said it was not Turkey but the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) who carried out the attack but the PKK also denied involvement.
Many Iraqis in Baghdad protested Wednesday night in front of Turkish Embassy, which tweeted a photo showing a Turkish flag flying half staff and said “We join our condolences for our Iraqi brothers who were martyred at the hands of the terrorist organization PKK”
ننضم إلى العزاء على إخوتنا العراقيين الذين استشهدوا على يد منظمة PKK الإرهابية. pic.twitter.com/uDHQnXFMgj
— Türkiye in Iraq (@TCBagdatBE) July 21, 2022
Iraq declared one day of mourning because of the attack.
Governments across the world expressed their solidarity with the Iraqi nation in grief.
US State Department Spokesman Ned Price said that the US condemned the attack. “The killing of civilians is unacceptable, and all states must respect their obligations under international law, including the protection of civilians,” he said.
The UK is seriously concerned by the reports of civilian casualties and supports the Iraqi authorities in their investigations, a UK Foreign Office statement read.
“Attacks on civilians cannot be justified, the attack must be investigated & those responsible must be held accountable,” German Consulate in Erbil tweeted.
We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news of so many civilian victims in #Parkh. Our thoughts are with the wounded and the relatives of those killed. Attacks on civilians cannot be justified, the attack must be investigated & those responsible must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/2F4ElNbvFN
— German Consulate Erbil (@GermanyInKRI) July 20, 2022
“The Islamic Republic of Iran fully supports the stability and security of Iraq and considers Iraq’s security as its own security and will not hesitate to help Iraqi nation,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kenani said.
