In this file picture, Turkish soldiers stand guard as Kurdish people seek to enter Cizre, a town subject to curfew as part of an operation against PKK militants in southeastern Turkey. (Photo by AFP)

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has vehemently condemned an ongoing Turkish operation in the country’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region against hideouts of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group, saying the cross-border offensive is being carried out without any coordination with the Baghdad government.

We hold the Turkish side responsible for the loss of civilian lives and damage to critical infrastructure in the area. We have a lot of leverage, but we think that a political solution is still able to defuse this crisis, especially as the fight against terrorism is a high priority for Iraq, Arabic-language Baghdad Today news agency quoted the spokesman for the ministry, Ahmed al-Sahaf, as saying on Thursday.

He added that coordination between the federal government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is at its best level, stressing, We are still seeking a political and diplomatic solution and we hope that these two pathways are enough to reduce existing tensions.

He added, We trust our definition of ... national interests. Iraqis know what they want; therefore, there is political and diplomatic coordination among them whenever it comes to Iraq’s interests.

Political dialogue guarantees common interests, he said, adding, We still adhere to diplomatic standards and principles since we believe in them as the first and last option to pursue the interests of Iraq.

The Turkish military started its ground campaign, dubbed Claw-Tiger Operation, against PKK positions in northern Iraq on July 17. Claw-Eagle Operation, the air campaign, had begun two days earlier.

Turkish ground and air forces frequently carry out operations against PKK positions in the country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

SOURCE: PRESS TV