BAGHDAD, Oct 20 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi Defence Minister, Najah al-Shammari, expressed his country’s concern about the Turkish offensive in northern Syria.
A statement by the Iraqi ministry said, al-Shammari’s comment came, during his meeting with the Turkish ambassador to Baghdad, Fatih Yildiz.
During the meeting, the two sides “discussed a number of important military issues taking place in the region, and the Turkish offensive in Syria,” the statement said.
It said that al-Shammari issued orders to the Iraqi security forces, to “take all appropriate precautionary measures, to block the routes that could be used by the terrorists to infiltrate into Iraq.”
Three days ago, al-Shammari said, the security forces captured a number of Daesh militants, who tried to infiltrate into Iraq, to flee the battles in northern Syria.
He made the remarks during his tour to the Iraqi-Syrian border, in western Iraq.– NNN-NINA
Al-Shammari’s comments came as Turkey carried out an operation against the Kurdish forces in northern Syria, which has seen widespread international and Arab condemnation and warnings that the war against terrorism could be undermined.
Iraq fears that IS extremists could flee into Iraq and pose a threat to its security during the Turkish assault in Syria.