Calls for Turkish withdrawal from northern Iraq

The Arab League has expressed its strong denunciation and condemnation of the new Turkish incursion into northern Iraq and called on Ankara to immediately withdraw its forces.

AL Assistant Secretary General Ahmad Bin Hali said the AL views the repeated Turkish military acts in northern Iraq as a flagrant violation of Iraq's sovereignty and the principles of the international law, as well as the UN charter.

Bin Hali called on Ankara to immediately withdraw its forces from the Iraqi territories and to halt the aggressive military operations on the grounds of ensuring the security and stability of the citizens of northern Iraq.

Russia also called for halting these operations, condemning them a violation of the basic criteria of international law and stressing the integrity of the Iraqi territories.

The spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the international community must not support these acts.

Meanwhile, UN expert in dismantling mines Ian Broughton left Iraq on Thursday after Baghdad asked for him to be deported, after he was accused of trying to destroy agricultural crops in Iraq.

AFP said that Broughton (30) was taken in a UN car towards Amman.

The UN denied that Broughton had ever tried to destroy Iraqi agricultural crops. The UN humanitarian affairs coordinator in Baghdad, Hans von Sponeck, said that an investigation conducted by the UN revealed that neither Broughton nor any other person affiliated to the UN was in the northern area of Iraq on April 8.

The Iraqi press said that Broughton is also accused of spying on Iraq and of carrying out damaging acts, stating the acts of destruction and spying carried out by those who wear "blue helmets," in reference to UN teams, are no more bearable.

The Iraqi papers called on the UN chief to investigate on this matter and try Broughton.