Türkiye, Iraq have common will in fighting terrorism: Turkish ministry

ANKARA

Türkiye and Iraq are demonstrating a strong and unified commitment to combating terrorism, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Öncü Keçeli stated on Thursday. 

In a statement on X, Keçeli expressed both countries' resolve to ensure that their cooperation translates into concrete results and to enhance coordination between their respective authorities for this purpose. "Türkiye is fully committed to the fight against terrorism," he emphasized.

Keçeli highlighted Iraq's recent designation of the PKK as a "banned organization" and the signing of a memorandum of understanding on security, military, and counterterrorism cooperation in Ankara on August 15 as reflections of this shared determination.

Underscoring Türkiye's ongoing efforts in combating terrorism, particularly PKK activities emanating from Iraqi territory, Keçeli reiterated Ankara's adherence to the principle of self-defense as outlined in Article 51 of the U.N. Charter.

Addressing a recent incident involving a drone crash in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, Keçeli mentioned that coordination with Iraqi authorities is underway to thoroughly investigate the incident. Earlier, Iraq's Joint Operations Command reported that the drone, which crashed early Thursday, was identified as a Turkish drone.

The PKK, recognized as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been responsible for over 40,000 deaths during its 40-year campaign against Türkiye. The group is known to use northern Iraq as a base for planning and launching attacks against Türkiye and local populations in northern Syria.