The Iran-backed paramilitary group Hashd al-Shaabi has threatened Turkey on Thursday, saying they will fight against the country if it gets into a conflict with Iraq.
Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, Hashd al-Shaabi spokesperson Ahmed al-Asadi labeled the Turkish army in the Bashiqa camp as an "invader" and added they oppose the presence of Turkish forces in the region.
"For a year, we have protested against the Turkish army's presence in Bashiqa. Their entity is not legal," al-Asadi said.
Al-Asadi added that they will "give a chance" to diplomatic negotiations between Baghdad and Ankara, however, if the discussion fails and the issue progresses toward military conflict, they will be a part of it.
Al-Asadi said that they have parted ways with the Sunni group Hashd al-Watani because they allowed Turkish forces to come to Bashiqa camp.
In late November, the Iraqi parliament passed a law granting legal status to Iran-backed fanatical Shiite paramilitary groups, who have gained a reputation for targeting the local Sunni minority.
The law, passed in a session that was boycotted by many Sunni lawmakers, guarantees the militias in the Popular Mobilization Forces the right to retain their "identity and character as long as that does not threaten Iraqi national security."
Iran-backed Shiite paramilitary groups are actively fighting in Syria along with Iraq. These groups have long threatened stability in the region, spreading fear among the locals after they committed numerous massacres against Sunni Muslim citizens, according to several human right groups. There have been numerous extremist Shiite militias in Syria and Iraq, most of which are under the control of extremists who are affiliated with Iranian authorities.
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