Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in the Christian town of Teleskof, on Iraq’s Plains of Nineveh, and of the military stand-off between Peshmerga military and Iraqi soldiers; what representations they have made to the government of Iraq concerning that situation; and what discussions they have held with the government of the United States about possible action to prevent further damage.

We are concerned by reports of tensions in northern Iraq, including around the town of Teleskof. We are working with the United States, the UN and our Coalition partners to urge all parties to continue to take steps to de-escalate the situation, coordinate security arrangements and avoid violence. We welcome Prime Minister Abadi's commitment to protect all Iraqi civilians. The Minister for the Middle East discussed the situation with the Iraqi Foreign and Interior Ministers on 17 October and the Foreign Secretary spoke to Prime Minister Abadi on 19 October. We continue to monitor the situation closely, alongside our Coalition partners.