UN Secretary-General condemns Zakho Attack, calls for investigation

Shafaq News/ the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, condemns the deadly artillery shelling in the Zakho district of Duhok Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

"The Secretary-General calls for a prompt and thorough investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack and to ensure accountability." Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said.

"The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the victims' families and wishes the injured a speedy recovery." He added.

The Turkish army has regularly attacked regions in Kurdistan, saying it targets PKK ammunition depots, caves, and other hideouts.

The last Turkish bombardment was yesterday when four shells fell on the Barakh resort in Zakho of Kurdistan, killing nine tourists and wounding 29 others.

The Iraqi and Kurdish authorities, many countries, the Arab League, and UNAMI condemned the attack, considering it "a violation against Iraqi territory."

Protesters marched through the streets of the Iraqi governorates condemning the attack and calling to expel the Turkish Ambassador and Consuls.

In turn, Turkey denied carrying out any attack against civilians in Kurdistan.

"According to the information we received from the Turkish Armed Forces, we did not carry out any attack against civilians," the foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry asked Iraqi government officials not to make statements on the Duhok attack "under the influence of rhetoric and propaganda" of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).