DHAKA: Iraq’s Kurdish regional government has called on the Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK) to ‘withdraw’ from its territory to prevent civilian deaths, amid a campaign of Turkish airstrikes targeting the group.

A statement issued on Saturday, Kurdish President Massoud Barzani said the PKK ‘should withdraw its fighters from the Kurdish region so to ensure the civilians of Kurdistan do not become victim of that fighting and conflict’.

The statement also condemned Turkey for bombing civilians, following reports that civilian homes were damaged in airstrikes in northwestern Iraq, while calling on both parties to resume peace talks.

‘We condemn the bombing, which led to the martyrdom of the citizens of the Kurdish region, and we call on Turkey to not to repeat the bombing of civilians,’ the statement added, reports Al Jazeera.

BDST: 2040 HRS, AUG 01, 2015
RR