RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has offered condolences to Iraq over the killing of two high-ranking military officials this week by a Turkish military drone attack carried out on Iraqi territory. 

The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan sent the Kingdom’s condolences during a phone call with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Muhammed Hussein Baki.

Over the phone, both ministers affirmed their rejection of Turkey's violations and their threatening of the security and stability of Arab countries.

The Iraqi Foreign Minsitry on Thursday urged Iraq’s Arab allies to help persuade Turkey to withdraw its troops from Iraqi territory, where they have been raiding Kurdish militant positions.He also contacted the Egyptian, Jordanian and Kuwaiti foreign ministers, as well as the Arab League, to seek their diplomatic support in confronting Ankara.

The plea comes two days after a Turkish drone strike killed two high-ranking Iraqi officers in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, amid heightened tensions between Ankara and Baghdad.

On Wednesday the Iraqi foreign ministry, for the third time, summoned Turkey's envoy to Baghdad to protest against the strike, which it denounced as "flagrant aggression" and a violation of its sovereignty.

Iraq pleaded for "major Arab efforts to avoid dangerous developments" and for "a united position to force Turkey to pull out its troops who have infiltrated Iraq," the ministry said.

Turkey in mid-June launched a cross-border operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been blacklisted as a terrorist group by Ankara and its Western allies. 

(with AFP)