U.S. says Turkey should get Iraq's approval to station troops there
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 12 October 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, U.S. says Turkey should get Iraq's approval to station troops there, 12 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a0d74.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
October 12, 2016
Turkish troops are training Kurdish and Sunni Arab forces at a camp in Bashiqa for the upcoming battle to retake Mosul.
The United States urged Turkey and Iraq to overcome a dispute over about 2,000 Turkish troops stationed in northern Iraq and said the troops should only be there with Baghdad's approval.
The attempt to mediate between two important U.S. allies came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted on October 11 that "we don't need permission" to keep Turkish troops in the Bashiqa camp in Kurdish-controlled Iraq and that the troops will participate in an upcoming campaign to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
But the U.S. State Department said that foreign military forces should only be in Iraq at Baghdad's invitation and they should join the anti-IS coalition that already is operating there and is preparing an assault on Mosul.
"The Turkish forces that are deployed in Iraq are not there as part of the international coalition . . . It is imperative for all parties to coordinate closely over the coming days and weeks to ensure unity of effort in defeating Daesh," State Department spokesman John Kirby said, using another term for IS.
He added that "the situation in Bashiqa is a matter for the governments of Iraq and Turkey to resolve."
Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
