Turkey to search for oil near PKK's Iraq stronghold

ANKARA

AA Photo

Turkey has announced that it will search for oil in the outskirts of Mount Kandil in northern Iraq, which is known as the stronghold of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız stated on March 2 that Turkey has oil blocs on the outskirts of Mount Kandil in line with its deals with the Iraqi government and will explore oil in the Hindıırın and Çoman fields in the area. He said he believes the ongoing peace process will pave the way for such initiatives. 

“We have serious expectations from the peace process regarding the energy sector activities … In line with our deals with the Baghdad government for northern Iraq, we have oil blocs on the outskirts of Mount Kandil. We will launch oil exploration activities in the fields of Hindırın and Çoman there. I believe the peace process will also pave the way for such activities,” he said at the signature ceremony for a cooperation protocol with the Hacettepe University on mining. 

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) launched oil exploration activity in the Mount Kandil area, where the PKK is located in northern Iraq, in 2012. It was reported that the exploration team had then sent several stone and soil samples to a laboratory in Britain.