Turkey says Iraqi border deployment a precaution, urges calm from Baghdad
ISTANBUL - Turkey's deputy prime minister said on Wednesday a military build-up on the border with Iraq was a precaution, not a threat, and urged the government in Baghdad to lower tensions after it warned Turkey would pay for any incursion.
A convoy of Turkish tanks and other armoured vehicles are advancing towards the town of Silopi, near the Iraqi border, their deployment coinciding with an Iraqi operation to drive Islamic State from the northern city of Mosul.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warned on Tuesday that Baghdad would respond to any violation of its territory.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told the broadcaster NTV: "I regard Abadi's words as overstepping the mark. Abadi must make statements lowering the tension ...
"We are obliged to take measures to guard against threats from across Turkey's border," he added. "It is more of a precaution than a threat."
