"A lot of damage was inflicted in the US and British military operation against Iraq. Besides historical and cultural damage, people were massacred," said Mehmet Elkatmis, the head of the parliament's human rights commission.

"If the United States allow us, the commission members are planning to go to Iraq in the coming days to investigate human rights abuses," he added.

Turkey has a notoriously poor human rights record, one of the main obstacles to its long-standing and troubled bid to join the European Union.

It has often come under fire from international rights organizations for a string of violations, including widespread torture and restrictions to personal liberties.

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