Iraq's stance towards Turkey's operations on PKK terrorists is disappointing: Foreign Ministry

The Turkish foreign ministry said on Friday that the Iraqi government's "negative stance" towards Turkey's air strikes on PKK camps in northern Iraq was disappointing and difficult to accept.

"It is obvious that many armed PKK militants have been sheltering inside Iraqi territory for years," the foreign ministry said in statement.

"It is not possible to accept or understand the opposing attitude of those who can't control their border," it said.

Turkish jets have been launching airstrikes on PKK camps in Northern Iraq since last week.

Since the Suruç suicide bombing in southeastern Turkey which claimed 32 lives and injured more than 100, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the terrorist organization PKK has blamed the Turkish government on baseless allegations.

After the suicide bombing, PKK has killed many officers and civilians, totaling almost 20 with Friday's attacks, to which the military retaliated by bombing the organization's densely populated camps in Northern Iraq.

Iraq, however, condemned on Tuesday Turkey's air strikes as a "dangerous escalation and an assault on Iraqi sovereignty", saying it was committed to ensuring militant attacks on Turkey were not carried out from within its territory. "The Iraqi government is taking the necessary measures to stop any threat that is posed to Turkey from Iraq," read Baghdad's statement.

On the other hand, many Western countries as well as the U.N. and NATO, condemn the PKK's terror attacks against Turkey and state that they fully respect Turkey's rights to defend itself. After talks in Brussels, which were held at the behest of Turkey, NATO ambassadors said they "stand in strong solidarity" with Turkey, whereas the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday, Turkey's actions were undertaken "in accordance with the U.N. Charter as a way of exercising self-defense."