ZAKHO: Nine civilians, including at least two children, were killed in a park in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region on Wednesday by artillery fire Baghdad blamed on neighbouring Turkiye, a country engaged in a cross-border offensive.

In an unusually strong rebuke, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi warned Turkiye that Iraq reserves the “right to retaliate,” calling the artillery fire a “flagrant violation” of sovereignty.

But Turkey refuted Iraqi claims that it had carried out the strike, saying the attack was a terror act.

The foreign ministry said Ankara was saddened to hear of the casualties in the attack, and added that Turkiye took maximum care to avoid civilian casualties or damaging historic, cultural sites in its counter-terrorism operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party and others.

“Turkiye is ready to take every step for the truth to come out,” the ministry said in its statement, adding that Turkish military operations were in line with international laws.

“We call on the Iraqi government to not make remarks influenced by the heinous terrorist organisation’s rhetoric and propaganda, and to engage in cooperation to uncover the perpetrators of this cruel act,” it said, referring to the PKK.

Turkey launched an offensive in northern Iraq in April dubbed “Operation Claw-Lock”, which it said targets fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The victims included Iraqi tourists who had come to the hill village of Parakh in Zakho district to escape sweltering temperatures further south in the country, according to Mushir Bashir, the head of Zakho region. “Turkey hit the village twice today,” Bashir said.

A source in Turkey’s defence ministry said that he had “no information reporting or confirming artillery fire in this area”.

The artillery strikes killed nine and wounded 23, Zakho health official Amir Ali told reporters. He had earlier put the toll at eight dead, including two children.

‘Bodies in the water’

In front of a hospital in Zakho, Hassan Tahsin Ali spoke to this news agency wearing a bandage around his head. He said he was lucky to survive the deluge of fire that fell on the park and its water features, where visitors had been relaxing. “We come from the province of Babylon,” the young man said in a slow voice.

“There were indiscriminate strikes on us, there were bodies in the water,” he added. “Our young people are dead, our children are dead, who should we turn to? We have only God.” Iraq’s prime minister dispatched the country’s foreign minister and top security officials to the site.

“Turkish forces have perpetrated once more a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty,” Kadhemi said on Twitter, condemning the harm caused to “the life and security of Iraqi citizens.” “Iraq reserves the right to retaliate against these aggressions and take all necessary measures to protect our people,” Kadhemi added.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2022