The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) condemned on Wednesday a deadly artillery bombardment on a resort in Duhok Province in the country’s semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan.

“Under international law, attacks must not be directed at the civilians,” the UNAMI said in a statement, adding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq must be respected at all times.

Nine people were killed and 23 wounded, all of them tourists, in the resort bombardment on Wednesday, according to the latest report by official Iraqi News Agency.

The UNAMI statement has called for a thorough investigation into the incident and urged all parties to stop such violations without delay. The Iraqi government earlier accused Turkish forces of carrying out the bombardment, a charge which Ankara has denied. (Xinhua)