Iraq denies Turkey taking part in Mosul offensive

Iraq's joint operations command denied Turkey was participating in military operations to retake Mosul from the ISIL group.

"The spokesman of the Joint Operations Command denies Turkish participation of any kind in operations for the liberation of Nineveh," a statement said, referring to the Iraqi province of which Mosul is the capital.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said that Turkish troops stationed outside Mosul had provided support "with artillery, tanks and howitzers" following a request by Kurdish peshmerga forces.
  
Thousands of peshmerga forces are currently involved in a massive push in the Bashiqa area northeast of Mosul, where Turkey has a military base.
 
Turkey had repeatedly stated it wanted a part in the massive operation to retake Mosul, AFP reports.