India ‘Strongly Condemns’ Killing of Eight Civilians in Iraq’s Dohuk Region

Eight people were killed, while 23 people were injured when artillery shells hit a park in Kurdistan on 20 July.

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India on Monday, 25 July, strongly condemned the recent killings of eight civilians in a shelling in Dohuk region of northern Iraq, and said that the attack was a clear violation of the country’s sovereignty.

The External Affairs Ministry (EAM) said in a statement,

“India strongly condemns the recent killings in the Zakho district of Dohuk Governatorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which is a clear violation of the country’s sovereignty and a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law.”

India Expresses Condolences for Lives Lost in Attack

The EAM also expressed its condolences to the kin of those who “lost their loved ones in the dastardly attack.”

The statement said, “India also conveyed its stand and condolences in messages inscribed (on Monday) in condolence books opened by the government of Iraq in Baghdad and Embassy of Iraq in New Delhi.”

Eight people, including two children and three women, were killed, while 23 people were injured when artillery shells hit a park in Kurdistan region on Wednesday, 20 July.

Iraqi officials have blamed Turkey for the attack but the Turkish foreign ministry rejected the allegations.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday that Iraqi authorities should not fall for what he labelled a “trap,” as per Al Jazeera.