Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Iraqis in Baghdad protest Turkish intervention in Mosul liberation operation

Thousands of Iraqi protesters loyal to a powerful Shiite cleric and militiaman congregated outside the Turkish embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday in opposition to Ankara's intervention in the liberation of Mosul.


Followers of Muqtada al-Sadr, a prominent Shiite political and militant figure, could be heard chanting demands that Turkey withdraw its troops currently stationed in Bashiqa, 14 kilometers (9 miles) north of Mosul.

One of the protest organizers Ali al-Saadi told EFE that the demonstration went ahead without incident and those involved took heed of al-Sadr's call not to attack the embassy building.

All streets leading to the embassy headquarters, located in the central al-Wazireya neighborhood of Baghdad, were cordoned off by security forces.

The Iraqi government has repeatedly called for Turkish troops to withdraw from the northern provinces of Iraq where, under the order of Ankara, they are participating in Iraq's operation to re-secure Mosul from the Islamic State.

In response, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his troops were there only to offer training to local militias.

The Turkish military on Tuesday did, however, conduct airstrikes over the blighted city of Mosul alongside the United States-led international coalition.

The Mosul liberation operation was launched on Monday morning following Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's announcement on national television.

The city has witnessed the rise and fall of some of the Middle East's greatest civilizations but has languished under jihadist rule since failing to the IS in 2014.
 EFE
18/10/16

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