Iraq cancels Turkish defence minister’s visit after deadly strike

 Iraq cancelled a visit set for Thursday by the Turkish defence minister to Baghdad after a deadly airstrike in Kurdistan allegedly carried out by Turkey.

Turkey frequently launches attacks in northern Iraq, saying it targets the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and other terrorist groups.

On Tuesday, the Iraqi army said two senior border officers were killed in a strike by a Turkish drone north of Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s autonomous region of Kurdistan.

The strike hit a military vehicle the two officers were riding in, also resulting in the deaths of its drivers, according to the Iraqi army.

So far, there has been no official comment in neighbouring Turkey on the reported strike.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that Baghdad had cancelled the Turkish defence minister’s visit and will summon the Turkish ambassador to protest what it called Turkey’s “aggressions and violations” in Iraq.

Iraq condemned the latest attack and threatened to “reconsider” cooperation with Turkey.

In recent weeks, Turkey has launched attacks on Kurdish militants in northern Iraq amid protests from Baghdad.

The PKK is headquartered in Iraq’s Qandil Mountains near the Iranian border and is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, Europe and the United States.