People in Qamishli, Hasakah, Kobani, Maabadah, and Tell Hamis held demonstrations and urged both the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government to prevent Turkey from conducting cross-border attacks.

The protestors also called on the United States to use its influence to stop the attacks.

Earlier on Monday, a similar protest took place in Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with protesters chanting slogans against the Turkish government and Turkish Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Twenty-four people were reportedly arrested by the Asayish in Erbil during a demonstration against the airstrikes, which targeted Mount Sinjar, Makhmour, Qandil, and other locations.

Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, on Monday, condemned the attack, which Ankara dubbed “Operation Eagle-Claw.”

Despite the protests and Iraq’s denouncing the Monday bombings Turkey deployed forces into Kurdistan Region on Wednesday in the second phase of Ankara’s operation to battle the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) forces began.

Turkey troops are being supported by attack helicopters, drones and aircraft, Turkey Defense Ministry said in a statement on Twitter on Wednesday.

“Operation Claw-Tiger is being carried out as part of our legitimate defense rights arising from international law against the PKK and other terrorist elements that have recently attempted to increase harassment and attacks on our police station and base areas," Ahval news agency quoted the ministry as saying in the statement.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which has close economic and political ties with Turkey, has so far not released a formal statement about the airstrikes.

Reporter’s code: 50101