Reports came through that three divisions of Turkish troops crossed into Shexan and Bashika areas of Mosul late yesterday. The city of Mosul remains under ISIS occupation since June 2014.

According to local news agencies in South Kurdistan, the Turkish troops in question have crossed into the area to participate in an operation on Mosul.

Some other reports attributed to peshmerga sources however denied the reports.

In the meantime, Iraqi Parliament Security Commission President Hakim el-Zamili confirmed the reports regarding the deployment of Turkish military forces in a base near Mosul.

Reacting to the Turkish deployment in an agreement with the KDP of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Zamili called Turkish military occupier, saying they target the sovereignty of the Iraqi state. Zamilil said Iraqi air force has informed the Prime Minister Haydar El-İbadi and waits for an order to hit the Turkish troops.

An official statement by the Press Office of Iraqi Presidency also confirmed that a battalion of Turkish forces has crossed into Mosul region outside the knowledge and approval of the Iraqi Central Government. The statement said; "The deployment of Turkish troops in the region on the excuse of training Iraqi forces and unbeknown to the Iraqi government is a violation of the Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity. This case also conflicts with the neighbourhood relations between Iraq and Turkey."

Reporting on the development, Iraqi official state television quoted the Iraqi Foreign Ministry as saying that; "We reject this situation which constitutes a border violation and intervention by Turkey on Iraqi territory".

Stressing that no military activity outside the knowledge of the Iraqi government shall be accepted, the Ministry urged Turkey to withdraw its troops from the Iraqi land in the soonest time.