Iraq condemns Netherlands tram shooting

BAGHDAD, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Iraq on Tuesday condemned the deadly shooting in the Netherlands that claimed the lives of three civilians and wounded five others, calling for a global cooperation to eliminate terrorism.

"The Foreign Ministry strongly condemns the terrorist attack in the Netherlands, and announces the solidarity of the government and the people of Iraq with the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the face of this common danger," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Iraq feels this tragedy since it has been exposed to it for many years, and is now in the front line to face terrorism, and will continue to fight its remnants until the elimination of its existence and ideology," the statement said.

It said that the threat of terror organizations "may spread throughout the world as a deadly epidemic, and Iraq therefore reaffirms its positions and calls on the international community to undertake the task of declaring a comprehensive confrontation of this threat as an international enemy," the statement added.

On Monday morning, a man opened fire in a tram in the city of Utrecht leaving at least three civilians dead and five others wounded. Later on, the attacker was arrested by the Dutch police.