REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ANKARA -- Turkish artillery in Bashiqa military camp are shelling the Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Iraq, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Sunday. The move in Mosul province came at the request of Peshmerga forces of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, he told reporters in the province of Afyonkarahisar.

According to Hurriyet Daily News, the Bashiqa town's capture, if confirmed, would mark the removal of one more obstacle on the road to the northern Iraqi city. This is the first direct involvement of Turkish ground forces in the Iraq-led Mosul operation, local Yeni Safak reported.

The involvement of the Turkish military became a hot topic between Ankara and Baghdad, as the Iraqi administration strongly opposed Turkey's army participation in the operation. Turkey has deployed more than 600 soldiers in the military camp which has been training local forces, but Baghdad identified their presence as "illegal."

Mosul once was a industrial and commercial city in northern Iraq. It was the center of trade, industry, and communication. Mosul used to be a developed city in Silk Route.

Since June 2014, IS militant has took over the city. United States of America has been supporter of Iraq military operation to regain the second Iraq's city used as IS fortress. America led a coalition of 60 countries to fight IS.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika