Source: AUN News

To address the incident on July 20 in Zahko, a city in the Kurdistan region close to Turkey’s border and in an area where Turkish forces are waging counterterrorism operations against illegal militant groups, ambassadors met late in the afternoon, New York time.

A sequence of events since five artillery rounds impacted the Parka resort, which was crowded with guests, including children, was provided by Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert. 33 people were hurt, and nine individuals died.

Disregard for precautions

Despite Ankara’s press release declaring that it is “against all forms of strikes harming civilians” and “ready to take all means to disclose the truth,” Iraq claimed that Turkish forces were responsible for the attack, she said.

According to Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert, “this tragic attack on a well-known and easily recognized tourist destination indicates a stunning disregard for civilian life and for the generally recognized rules of international humanitarian and human rights law which strive to protect civilians.”

All parties to a conflict must take all reasonable measures to protect civilians at all times, yet this was not done.

The UN representative claimed to have spoken with Iraq’s prime minister on Monday, who once more underscored the necessity of launching an impartial or joint investigation into the incident that is open and thorough.

She informed the ambassadors that ending rumors, denials, misunderstandings, and escalating tensions was crucial. Meanwhile, I believe Turkey is prepared to confront the matter jointly with Iraq to ascertain precisely what occurred.

All attacks on Iraqi land must end immediately, Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert emphasized.

Such hostility, she warned, “not only needlessly escalates national and regional tensions, but also results in serious human tragedies.”

“As I have said several times in the past years, Iraq rightfully rejects the idea that it can be used as a battlefield for international and intraregional conflicts, as well as one where its neighbors and other actors regularly and without repercussions violate its sovereignty and territorial integrity.