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Russia to raise issue of Turkish troops in Iraq at UN Security Council

On December 4, Turkey sent around 130 soldiers, tanks and artillery weapons to northern Iraq where Ankara is training Kurdish peshmerga fighters for attacks on Mosul, seized by the Islamic State

UNITED NATIONS, December 8. /TASS/. Russia will raise the issue of Turkey’s troops presence in northern Iraq without Baghdad’s permission at a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, a diplomatic source in the organization has told TASS.

"The issue will be raised at a closed-door meeting to discuss any other issues," the source said, dismissing earlier reports that Moscow had called for a separate UN Security Council’s meeting.

No decisions will be taken after the consultations.

On December 4, Turkey sent around 130 soldiers, tanks and artillery weapons to northern Iraq where Ankara is training Kurdish peshmerga fighters for attacks on Mosul, seized by the Islamic State group’s gunmen.

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said Turkey had deployed forces without Baghdad’s permission and warned that it considered the step as a "hostile act." On December 6, Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Baghdad had the right to take any action, including turning to the UN Security Council if Turkey’s troops failed to leave Iraq’s territory within 48 hours.