Officials from Türkiye, Iraq discuss ties, security issues

ANKARA

Senior Turkish and Iraqi authorities came together in the Turkish capital to discuss the bilateral ties as well as security concerns stemming from the presence of the PKK on the latter’s territories.

Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi held talks with their Turkish counterparts, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, on Dec. 19. They were accompanied by a high-level delegation, including from the intelligence services of the two sides.

During the visit, various aspects of Turkish-Iraqi bilateral relations, including current regional issues, were discussed in detail. A statement by the Iraqi side informed that the agenda of the two sides covers discussing ways to develop and enhance bilateral relations and strengthen security and intelligence cooperation in order to confront the common challenge.

The PKK has had its main headquarters, training camps and other facilities in northern Iraq since the 1990s. Türkiye, which has been conducting military operations into the PKK targets in the region, has long been calling on Iraq to intensify cooperation against the presence of the terrorists.

The Turkish security bodies also expressed concern about the increasing influence of the PKK in the Suleymaniye province of Iraq. The group is also active in Sinjar province. Closely following the developments in this district, Türkiye has also offered its help to Iraq to clean this region of terrorists.

More than 40,000 people have died in clashes between the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and the EU, over the past 40 years.