As Iraq accuses Türkiye of "attacks" on its soil, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said a "drone attack" Baghdad claims was conducted by Türkiye in Iraq's north revealed that members of the PKK terrorist group were training with a group affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) active in the region controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
The ministry issued a statement late Tuesday about the explosion on Monday at Arbat Airport in the city of Sulaymaniyah.
"We closely monitor the terrorist activities of the PKK and its extensions in Iraq, which were intensified especially in the north of the country, as well as the mobility through the terror corridor established between Syria and Iraq. In this vein, the developments related to the explosion that took place on Sept. 18, 2023, at Arbat Airport in Sulaymaniyah are noteworthy. It is understood that the members of the PUK’s 'Anti-Terrorist Group' were conducting a training exercise together with PKK/YPG terrorists at the time of the explosion. This development is quite disturbing as it has clearly revealed the cooperation between the PUK’s security apparatus and members of the terrorist organization," the ministry said in its statement.
"This latest incident has also confirmed once again the accuracy of the measures we have taken regarding Sulaymaniyah, the people of who are almost taken hostage by the terrorist organization. Türkiye expects both the central government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to recognize the PKK terrorist group and its affiliates as terrorist organizations and to sincerely and tangibly combat terrorism," the statement also said.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Iraq, including Baghdad and the KRG region, last month in his first visit since his appointment and has voiced Türkiye's call for the PKK's recognition as a terrorist group.
"We must not allow the PKK terrorist organization, which is a common enemy of Türkiye and Iraq, to poison our bilateral relations," Fidan said at a news conference in August with his Iraqi counterpart.
"We cannot accept the PKK challenging the sovereignty of Iraq," he added. Fidan said that the territorial integrity, political unity and sovereignty of Iraq are one of Türkiye's priorities. "Sinjar, Makhmour, Qandil, Sulaymaniyah and many other Iraqi districts have been occupied by the PKK terrorist group."
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. Türkiye supports Iraq's fight against the PKK terrorist organization, Fidan said.
"We are ready to collaborate with Iraq in the fight against all forms of terrorist organizations, whether it's the PKK or Daesh, regardless of their names.
"These groups, aiming to undermine Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity, are targeting the stability and prosperity of our Iraqi brothers and committing crimes against humanity," he added.
Ankara maintains dozens of military bases in northern Iraq where it regularly launches operations against the group, which maintains a stronghold in the Qandil Mountains. In the last few years, intensifying operations in the region have demolished terrorist lairs in Metina, Avashin-Basyan, Zap and Gara. After eradicating the group’s influence in these regions, Türkiye also aims to clear Qandil, Sinjar and Makhmour. Türkiye’s military involvement in northern Iraq dates back over two decades, separately from its operations against the PKK, and also included the war against the Daesh terrorist group, which controlled much of the area, in 2014 and 2015, when Ankara was an ally in the U.S.-led anti-Daesh campaign. The terrorist group has been more active in Syria after a civil war broke out more than a decade ago. YPG terrorists control areas near the Syrian-Iraqi border and unconfirmed reports say they travel between the two countries secretly.
