Iraqis gather in front of the Turkish embassy in Baghdad in protest against the deadly bombing of a tourist resort in northern Iraq, in Baghdad, Iraq, on July 21, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

Iraqis gather in front of the Turkish embassy in Baghdad in protest against the deadly bombing of a tourist resort in northern Iraq, in Baghdad, Iraq, on July 21, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

Iraqi security forces are deployed to protect the Turkish embassy during a protest against Turkish bombing of a tourist resort in nothern Iraq, in Baghdad, Iraq, on July 21, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Thursday handed a sternly worded protest note to the Turkish ambassador, demanding the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Iraqi territory.

The ministry summoned Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Ali Reza Guney over the deadly bombardment on a resort in Iraq's northern province of Duhok, said the ministry in a statement.

In the protest note, Iraq condemned "the crime committed by the Turkish forces, which represented the culmination of their continuous attacks on the sovereignty of Iraq and the sanctity of its lands," said the statement.

Earlier in the day, the Arab League expressed in a statement "full rejection of the Turkish aggression on Iraqi sovereignty, which represents a clear violation of international law, and a flagrant violation of the principles of good neighborliness."

A suspected Turkish bombardment hit a Duhok resort in Iraq's semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan on Wednesday, leaving nine civilians dead and dozens of others wounded. The Iraqi government accused the Turkish forces of carrying out the attack, a charge that Ankara has denied.

Turkish forces frequently carry out ground operations, airstrikes, and artillery bombardments in Iraq's Kurdistan, especially the Qandil Mountains, the main base of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.