Turkey condemns terror attack in Iraq's Kirkuk

By Sibel Ugurlu

ANKARA

Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned the twin suicide bombings in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk that left at least five people dead.

In a statement the ministry said: “We condemn this terrorist attack which aims to violate the public peace in Kirkuk, a key city in terms of Iraq’s unity and integrity.”

The statement said: “Turkey believes that these kinds of provocations will not bring to a halt the Iraqi government’s efforts to stabilize the country.”

“Turkey stands by Iraq in its fight against terrorism,” it added.

On Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up near a Shia shrine on Atlas street in central Kirkuk leaving at least five people dead and 14 others injured.

Another bomber detonated his explosive vest near the scene of the first explosion.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attacks.

In mid-October, Iraqi forces wrested control of oil-rich Kirkuk from Kurdish Peshmerga forces, one month after northern Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) held a controversial referendum on the regional independence.