UAE recalls its ambassador to Iraq

The United Arab Emirates recalled its ambassador to Iraq “for consultation,” the state news agency WAM reported on Wednesday, citing the “the dangerous developments” there.

The UAE Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing its “deep concern over the continuing sectarian and exclusionary policies that marginalize essential components of the Iraqi people,” according to WAM.

“The ministry sees that this approach contributes to the fueling of the situation and bolsters a path of political tension and security bleeding,” WAM added.

The statement also “condemns in the strongest terms the terrorism of ISIS and other terrorist groups, which led to the loss of the lives of many of the sons of the Iraqi people.”

The UAE also criticized an Iraqi government statement issued on Tuesday, which accused Saudi Arabia - the UAE’s GCC ally - of supporting armed groups in Iraq.

The UAE statement said the “only way to save Iraq and to preserve its unity and stability is to adopt a national approach” compromise that does not exclude the country’s Sunni population.

Earlier the UAE’s Gulf Arab partner Saudi Arabia warned that Iraq could be sliding to civil war after Islamist militants and tribal sources seized large territories across the country.

Similar to the UAE’s call, Riyadh called for a “national consensus government.”

Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week both blamed “sectarian” policies of Iraq’s government against the Sunni Arab minority for the unrest that has swept the country.

Militants spearheaded by powerful jihadist group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and joined by supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein, launched their offensive on June 9.

Since then they have captured Mosul, a city of two million people, and a big chunk of mainly Sunni Arab territory stretching south towards the capital.

[With AFP]