‘Turkey to send delegation to Iraq’s Erbil if needed'

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - If needed, Ankara will send a delegation to Iraq’s Erbil, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday, following an armed attack targeting Turkish diplomats in Erbil.

Earlier, a Turkish diplomat, who was serving at Turkey's Consulate General in Erbil, was martyred in an armed attack at a restaurant, the Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement.

"This afternoon (17 July 2019), an official of our Consulate General in Erbil has been martyred as a result of a heinous attack, while he was outside of our Consulate compound," said the statement.

"We wish Allah’s mercy upon our martyr, extend our condolences to his family and the Turkish Nation," it said.

Speaking in the capital Ankara, Cavusoglu said that Turkey is in contact with Baghdad and Erbil regarding the incident.