On Wednesday, nine Arab tourists were killed by the Turkish army during the shelling of a picnic site in the countryside of the Zakho district in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). While the victims include small children, 23 people with injuries are still being treated in hospital. 

Duhok provincial health director Efrasyab Musa reported on Thursday that 5 of those wounded in the attack are in critical condition.

On Thursday, national mourning was declared in the country for one day. The bodies of the victims have been taken to the Erbil Airport to be transferred to the capital Baghdad today.

The massacre has triggered massive protests among the Iraqi population. On Wednesday evening, countless people gathered in front of the Turkish embassy in Baghdad and tried to storm it. Activists entered the building, tore down the Turkish flag and burnt it. They demanded the closure of the embassy.

Hundreds of people have continued their protests in front of the Turkish embassy since the early morning hours, demanding its closure.

CALL FOR MASS PROTESTS

People took to the streets in several other cities, including Karbala, where masses protested in front of the visa application center and burnt the Turkish flag.

While demonstrations in Baghdad continue, human rights activists, deputies and artists are calling for mass protests on the social media in response to the massacre. Reports say that people have also taken to the streets in Diyala today in protest at the killing of civilians.

On the other hand, the Diyala Chamber of Commerce has decided to boycott Turkish goods. A member of the Chamber, Musa Temimi, stated that they had announced their decision to boycott Turkish goods to the people of Diyala governorate. He added that they were against tour agencies advertising trips to Turkey.

In the meantime, all the Turkish Visa Application Centers in Iraq and South Kurdistan have halted working in the face of growing protests. No applications will be received for the time being.

The people of Kirkuk stormed the Turkish Visa Application Center in protest at the massacre, stating that they would not allow Turkey to operate on their land.

PROTEST BY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

At the same time, 91 members of the Iraqi parliament issued a joint statement on the massacre. The statement they signed calls for a special session of parliament with the participation of the Chairman of the General Staff.

According to the latest reports, the Iraqi parliament will hold an extraordinary meeting on Saturday with the participation of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Serious decisions against Turkey are expected to be taken during the session.

IRAQ WITHDRAWS ITS AMBASSADOR

Iraq summoned the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad to demand an apology and withdrew its ambassador from Ankara. “Once again, the Turkish Forces committed an explicit and blatant violation of the sovereignty of Iraq and the lives and security of Iraqi citizens,” Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi tweeted on Wednesday. The PM continued: "Iraq reserves its full right to respond to these attacks and will take all necessary measures to protect its people and hold the aggressors accountable for the ongoing escalation.”

The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, told the press that as a result of the investigations carried out by military experts, it was determined that the attack on Zakho was carried out by Turkey. The minister reiterated that "it is our legal right to defend ourselves. The relations between Iraq and Turkey are historical. Problems should be resolved through dialogue. We have internal political problems, but there is a common attitude among us about this attack."

IRAQI SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF TURKISH TROOPS

Iraq's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mohammad Hussein Bahr al-Ulum, told a Security Council meeting on the situation in Iraq on Wednesday that the "attacks by the Kurdistan Workers' Party [PKK] can no longer serve as a pretext for Turkish troops to remain on Iraqi soil from now on". In his speech at a UN Security Council meeting, the Iraqi envoy called for the withdrawal of all Turkish troops from the country. Baghdad has reportedly lodged a formal complaint with the UN Security Council against Ankara to protest Turkish military action in Iraq.

On the other hand, the Iraqi National Security Council convened urgently after the massacre and announced new decisions about Turkey. The Council has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare a file on Turkey's attacks on Iraq's sovereignty and security. It was also requested that the file be urgently sent to the United Nations Security Council.

ANKARA TRIES TO PUT THE BLAME ON THE PKK

Ankara responded by denying involvement in the attack, calling on Baghdad to refrain from "terror propaganda" and trying to put the blame on the PKK.

"TURKEY KILLS CIVILIANS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE 'CLAW-LOCK' OPERATION"

The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) launched a new military campaign codenamed ‘Claw-Lock’ within Iraqi Kurdistan on 17 April 2022, with the aim of attaining total military control over the mountainous border region spanning roughly 180kms from east to west and up to 15kms south of the Iraq-Turkey borderline.

The Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Iraqi Kurdistan stated on July 2 that within the last month, 21 May to 21 June 2022, Turkish military operations have claimed the lives of 3 children and 2 adult civilians, as well as caused physical harm to 15 civilians in northern Iraq.

Since 2018, Turkish forces have been building bases on mountain peaks and ranges from the Sidakan area on the Iraq-Iran border to Haftanin in Zakho. Between the beginning of 'Claw-Lock' on 17 April and 25 April, the TAF constructed four new bases - two in Avashin and two in Zap. On 16 June, construction began on a new base on Kurazharo mountain above Shiladze. 

The Turkish military has also developed a network of roads connecting the military bases and Turkish territory to facilitate resupply and reinforcement and strengthen their matrix of control over the occupied areas. From the mountain emplacements, Turkish artillery began firing on civilians living in and working on the agricultural lands in the valleys. On 15 and 17 June, in the border regions, Turkish soldiers wounded five civilians in two villages by firing at them from their bases. 

“TURKEY HAS KILLED 129 CIVILIANS SINCE 2015"

Since 2015, the Turkish Armed Forces have killed up to 129 civilians and wounded up to 180 civilians in northern Iraq. ‘Claw-Lock’ is another in a succession of Turkish military operations which has imposed death and displacement upon the people of this region.