The United States on Tuesday urged Iraq's neighbors to respect Iraq's sovereignty as Turkey deployed thousands of troops along its border with northern Iraq.

"We would call upon all of Iraq's neighbors to respect Iraq's sovereignty," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing.

Iraq's neighbors should work with the Iraqi government "on any issues that they may have regarding borders and that anything that is done in a transparent manner and through mutual agreement," the spokesman added.

The U.S. appeal came after Turkish General Staff said on Tuesday that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has massed troops on its borders with Iraq to prevent infiltration of members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).

In order to prevent PKK infiltration, the TSK has reinforced its troops in border regions within the context of its security operations and those reinforcements were necessary and normal activities, the Turkish General Staff said.

The United States has urged Turkey to refrain from unilateral actions and called for cooperation to fight against the PKK.

Source: Xinhua