Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Baghdad on Sunday welcomed Turkey’s move to pull troops out of northern Iraq but said it would keep up efforts at the UN to achieve a full withdrawal.

“What has been reported in the media is a step in the right direction,” Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari was quoted as saying in a statement from his office.

“We will carry on our process with the (UN) Security Council until a full withdrawal is achieved,” he added.

Turkey announced on Saturday that it had begun withdrawing troops in a bid to de-escalate a bitter row with Baghdad and following a call from US President Barack Obama.

“Taking into account the sensitivities on the Iraqi side… Turkey will continue the process it has already begun to withdraw its troops stationed” near Mosul, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

In a phone call on Friday, Obama asked Erdogan to take steps “to de-escalate tensions with Iraq, including by continuing to withdraw Turkish military forces.”

He also urged Turkey “to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.”

A senior Turkish official said last week that between 150 and 300 soldiers and 20 tanks were deployed to protect Turkish military trainers at the Bashiqa camp near Mosul.

Turkey began partially withdrawing troops from the area on Monday.

In its statement late Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said there had been a “lack of communication” with Baghdad on the matter and that Ankara “would continue to coordinate with the Iraqi government over its military contribution to the country in the fight against Daesh.”

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