UN Security Council Condemns Attack on Iraq’s Dohuk, Erdogan Describes it as ‘Terrorist Act’

Iraqis mourn a victim who was killed in an alleged Turkish bombing in Dohuk city, during a funeral procession near the victim's house in Baghdad, Iraq, 21 July 2022. (EPA)
Iraqis mourn a victim who was killed in an alleged Turkish bombing in Dohuk city, during a funeral procession near the victim's house in Baghdad, Iraq, 21 July 2022. (EPA)
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UN Security Council Condemns Attack on Iraq’s Dohuk, Erdogan Describes it as ‘Terrorist Act’

Iraqis mourn a victim who was killed in an alleged Turkish bombing in Dohuk city, during a funeral procession near the victim's house in Baghdad, Iraq, 21 July 2022. (EPA)
Iraqis mourn a victim who was killed in an alleged Turkish bombing in Dohuk city, during a funeral procession near the victim's house in Baghdad, Iraq, 21 July 2022. (EPA)

The United Nations Security Council condemned in the strongest terms on Monday the attack on a tourist resort in Iraq’s northern Dohuk province on July 20.

The attack resulted in at least nine civilian deaths, including children.

The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured, and expressed their support for the Iraqi authorities in their investigations, read a statement.

They urged all Member States to cooperate actively with the Iraqi government and all other relevant authorities in support of these investigations.

The council reiterated support for the independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, democratic process and prosperity of Iraq.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday the attack was carried out by “terrorists” and was aimed at harming Turkey-Iraq ties.

Speaking to state broadcaster TRT Haber, he added that Turkey had informed its NATO allies, including the United States, and Iraqi authorities of its position on the attack.

He called on Iraq not to fall for the propaganda by Kurdish militants.



UNRWA Lebanon Says Not Impacted by US Aid Freeze or New Israeli Law

 Head of UNRWA in Lebanon Dorothee Klaus speaks during a press conference in her offices in Beirut, Lebanon January 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Head of UNRWA in Lebanon Dorothee Klaus speaks during a press conference in her offices in Beirut, Lebanon January 29, 2025. (Reuters)
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UNRWA Lebanon Says Not Impacted by US Aid Freeze or New Israeli Law

 Head of UNRWA in Lebanon Dorothee Klaus speaks during a press conference in her offices in Beirut, Lebanon January 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Head of UNRWA in Lebanon Dorothee Klaus speaks during a press conference in her offices in Beirut, Lebanon January 29, 2025. (Reuters)

The director of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon said on Wednesday that the agency had not been affected by US President Donald Trump's halt to US foreign aid funding or by an Israeli ban on its operations.

"UNRWA currently is not receiving any US funding so there is no direct impact of the more recent decisions related to the UN system for UNRWA," Dorothee Klaus told reporters at UNRWA's field office in Lebanon.

US funding to UNRWA was suspended last year until March 2025 under a deal reached by US lawmakers and after Israel accused 12 of the agency's 13,000 employees in Gaza of participating in the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the Gaza war.

The UN has said it had fired nine UNRWA staff who may have been involved and said it would investigate all accusations made.

Klaus said that UNRWA Lebanon had also placed four staff members on administrative leave as it investigated allegations they had breached the UN principle of neutrality.

One UNRWA teacher had already been suspended last year and a Hamas commander in Lebanon - killed in September in an Israeli strike - was found to have had an UNRWA job.

Klaus also said there was "no direct impact" on the agency's Lebanon operations from a new Israeli law banning UNRWA operations in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and that "UNRWA will continue fully operating in Lebanon."

The law, adopted in October, bans UNRWA's operation on Israeli land - including East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in a move not recognized internationally - and contact with Israeli authorities from Jan. 30.

UNRWA provides aid, health and education services to millions in the Palestinian territories and neighboring Arab countries of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

Its commissioner general Philippe Lazzarini said on Tuesday that UNRWA has been the target of a "fierce disinformation campaign" to "portray the agency as a terrorist organization."