Iraq has expressed concerns over Turkey’s military activity against Kurdish militants in the country’s north. Iraqi Defence Minister (DM) Juma Anad on Wednesday held a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar discussing Turkey’s recent military operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region. The talks were held following Iraq’s decision to summon the Turkish envoy in response to Akar’s unauthorised visit to Kurdistan on Monday.
Turkey, however, defended the operations by saying that they were meant to contain “terrorism” in the region. Akar said during the conversation that Turkey was protecting its national interests by neutralising “terrorists who have nestled in northern Iraq and killed 40,000 people in addition to committing crimes against humanity,” in a reference to the PKK militias. Akar added that Ankara respects “the territorial integrity, borders and sovereignty of all our neighbours, especially Iraq, and no one should doubt this.”
However, earlier this week, Akar visited Turkish troops stationed in Kurdistan’s Duhok province without informing Iraqi authorities. Iraq was furious about the Turkish DM’s unannounced visit and summoned Turkey’s envoy to Iraq to protest the move. The Iraqi foreign ministry also released a statement condemning the move, saying that Akar’s “presence on Iraqi territory without coordination or prior approval from the competent authorities, and with his meeting with Turkish forces that are present in the territories illegally” is a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty. The statement further noted that “relying on unilateral military solutions cannot be the effective way to resolve common security challenges.”
Since April, Turkey has increased its military operations against the PKK. On April 24, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the launch of operation Claw Lightning and Claw Thunderbolt to eliminate “terrorist threats” from Iraq and Syria. Erdoğan said at the time: “We are determined to eradicate terror and rid our citizens of the terror scourge completely.” Turkish forces have been bombarding Kurdish villages as part of the operations and in the most recent attack this week killed 44 PKK militants.
These operations against Kurdish militants have also resulted in an emerging humanitarian crisis in Kurdistan, especially in the Duhok province. Kurdish news outlet Rudaw reported that several villagers had to flee from their homes due to heavy bombardment by Turkish forces. People also told the agency that their conditions are “worsening” every day as a result of the ongoing conflict.
Both sides have been waging a decades-old war against each other. While the PKK claims that it is fighting for Kurdish sovereignty, Ankara insists that the group is a “terrorist” organisation and needs to be eliminated. The PKK is also labelled as a terrorist group by the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) and is known for launching attacks against Turkey from bases in Syria and Iraq.
Iraq Expresses Concerns Over Turkish Military Activity Against Kurdish Militants
Iraqi Defence Minister (DM) Juma Anad, held a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar discussing Turkey’s recent military operations against the PKK.
May 6, 2021
SOURCE: TURKISH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE