Turkish foreign and defense ministers to visit Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, along with Minister of Defense Yesar Guler and head of Turkish Intelligence Service Ibrahim Kalin, is set to visit Baghdad on March 14 for discussions with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. The agenda, as outlined in a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry obtained by 964media, will primarily center on cooperation in counter-terrorism, security, and military collaboration.

The visit by Turkish officials coincides with speculation regarding a potential Turkish military operation in Iraqi Kurdistan aimed at pushing away Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) guerillas from the border with Turkey.

The Turkish military has been involved in ongoing clashes with PKK fighters since the initiation of its Claw-Lock operation in 2022.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently issued statements suggesting the possibility of military operations to secure Turkey’s border with Iraq and Syria.

Fidan also recently met with the U.S. Secretary of State in Washington, where discussions included Turkey’s security concerns in Iraq and Syria, among other topics.