- Title: Shi'ite role in Mosul battle will not bring peace - Turkish FM
- Date: 7th October 2016
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (OCTOBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU, AND SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER, JOSE MANUEL GARCIA-MARGALLO, STANDING AT PODIUMS AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU, SAYING: "Including Shi'ite militias in the operation from outside, with sectarianism, and keeping them there won't bring peace to Mosul. Contrarily, unfortunately, in the medium term and in the long run, problems in the region will continue progressively." REPORTERS LISTENING AND PHOTOJOURNALIST TAKING PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU, SAYING: "Those local forces that we train and equip are actually from Mosul, including the Arabs, Kurds, Yazidis and Turkmen. So their presence in this operation is necessary for a successful operation." REPORTERS LISTENING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU, SAYING: "We were in every fight against Daesh until today, and we are actively involved. We are ready to give any kind of support against Daesh in Mosul." PHOTOJOURNALISTS TAKING PICTURES CAVUSOGLU AND GARCIA-MARGALLO SHAKING HANDS AT THE END OF THE JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 22nd October 2016 11:36
- Keywords: Turkey Cavusoglu Iraq Mideast Bashiqa camp Mosul
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00153074UF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Involving Shi'ite militias in an operation to drive Islamic State out of the Iraqi city of Mosul will not bring peace, Turkey's foreign minister said on Friday (October 7), adding that Turkish-trained forces should be involved.
As expectations of an assault to retake Mosul grow, tensions between Iraq and Turkey have escalated over the presence of Turkish troops on Iraqi territory, mainly at the Bashiqa camp, training Sunni Muslim and Kurdish Peshmerga units which Turkey wants to take part in the battle for Mosul.
However, the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad is keen that its forces be in the forefront of the offensive on Mosul, the largest city under Islamic State control.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was sceptical about Shi'ite militias' involvement in the operation.
"Including Shi'ite militias in the operation from outside, with sectarianism, and keeping them there won't bring peace to Mosul. Contrarily, unfortunately, in the medium term and in the long run, problems in the region will continue progressively," Cavusoglu told a news conference with his Spanish counterpart in Ankara.
"Those local forces that we train and equip are actually from Mosul, including the Arabs, Kurds, Yazidis and Turkmen. So their presence in this operation is necessary for a successful operation," he said, adding Turkey was ready to support the offensive.
The assault to retake Mosul, which has been in the hands of Islamic State since 2014, is expected to take place in the coming weeks. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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