National Security Advisor leads delegation
Iraqi delegation visits Erbil to assess Turkish attacks
NEWSROOM – A high-level Iraqi delegation led by National Security Advisor Qasim Al-Araji arrived in Erbil on Thursday to “assess” recent Turkish attacks and ongoing incursions in Duhok governorate. The visit follows a National Security Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, where Al-Sudani directed the delegation to evaluate the situation and develop a unified stance on the matter concerning “Iraqi sovereignty.”
Turkey’s large-scale military operation against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known by its Kurdish initialism PKK, in Duhok has led to the evacuation of several villages. The PKK, an armed Kurdish organization, has been fighting the Turkish state for Kurdish rights since the early 1980s.
Yehia Rasool, spokesperson for Iraq’s Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, stated that the National Security Council rejected Turkish military “incursions and the infringement on Iraqi territories.” The council emphasized that Turkey must adhere to the principles of “good neighborliness” and diplomatically engage with the Iraqi government on security-related matters.
“The council called on all parties and national forces to support the government’s position on this issue, reiterating Iraq’s stance based on the constitution and law, which prohibits any aggression on its territories or using Iraqi lands as a base for attacks on neighboring countries,” Rasool added.
The escalation follows weeks of Turkish incursions into the Kurdistan Region’s territories. During a visit to Iraq in April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed his government’s “expectations” regarding the PKK, and Al-Sudani mentioned “bilateral security coordination” between the two countries. However, in March, Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi ruled out “joint military operations” with Turkey. Iraqi and Kurdish government officials have remained largely silent about the ongoing Turkish offensive, raising questions about whether the operations have their approval.
The intensity of the Turkish incursion has raised concerns about Turkey’s objectives and whether it plans to occupy large parts of the Kurdistan Region permanently. Turkish media have reported that the military aims to deploy troops up to 40km inside the Kurdistan Region to create a buffer zone to prevent PKK infiltration into Turkey.
Villagers block road amid ongoing Turkish incursion in Duhok
Turkish bombardment burns 125 acres of farmland and orchards in Duhok
Activists protest in Sulaymaniyah against Turkish military operations
