"Iraq cannot expel terrorists from its territory, and therefore we do so," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Wednesday, according to Lebanese Elnashra.
Saying that Turkey respects the territorial integrity of Iraq, Çavuşoğlu added, "The Iraqi government cannot conduct an effective battle against terrorist organizations. This is the reason for the provocations against us."
"Terrorist organizations are still present in Iraq. The ISIL terrorist organization has taken control of part of the country, and with our support, it is no longer strong in both Syria and Iraq," he also said.
The aim of Turkey's military operation is to expel terrorists from northern Syria and to preserve the territorial integrity of this country, Turkish top diplomat added.
The United States is not honest in the fight against terrorism, elsewhere in his remarks, he added.
Çavuşoğlu's remarks come after the Iraqi government asserted that Turkey was responsible for artillery strikes that killed at least eight people and wounded some 23 others in a resort area in Zakho District, Duhok Governorate, July 20.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told journalists that he has asked the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution requesting that Turkey withdraw its army from Iraqi Kurdistan.
He also said Iraq believes the situation between Iraq and Turkey should be on the UN Security Council agenda because these kinds of activities cause concern.
Iraqi authorities consider the Turkish military presence in Iraq as a violation of their country's territorial integrity and repeatedly called on Turkey to withdraw all its troops.
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