PKK terrorists took advantage of turmoil in Iraq: Fidan
Türkiye is striving to work in harmony with all governments in Iraq against terrorist groups, its top diplomat says after Ankara and Baghdad agreed to set up a counterterrorism committee amid Ankara’s impending offensive in northern Iraq
Minister Hakan Fidan has blasted the PKK terrorist group for “taking advantage of the chaos” in Iraq to extend roots in the country and said Türkiye was “determined to use all its diplomatic tools” to help establish stability in its southeastern neighbor.
“We are trying to work in cohesion with the Iraqi government,” Fidan told a news channel Monday. He added that the central government has been criticized for its shortcomings in providing basic services to the Iraqi people.
Stressing Iraq’s tumultuous history, including occupation and civil war, Fidan noted a significant shift in the last four to five years, indicating that the country is now on a path toward normalization and capable of fulfilling the requirements of politics.
Stating that Türkiye has been striving to work in harmony with all governments in Baghdad, Fidan said, “We are making efforts to work in harmony with the government of Mohammed S. Al Sudani as much as possible. We support especially his development initiatives and service efforts toward Iraq.”
The top Turkish diplomat said Ankara has been actively engaged in eliminating
PKK terrorists in Iraq and wants to draw a strategic plan and involve Iraq in this, as the terrorist group’s increasing presence in Iraq and its offshoot YPG in Syria significantly damage both countries.
He continued by saying that Türkiye welcomed the Iraqi government’s designation of the PKK as a “banned organization.”
Noting that Türkiye is not only focused on a security-based relation with its southeastern neighbor, Fidan said Ankara was also considering wider cooperation initiatives in the defense and energy sectors.
“When you have a relationship based on economic development, you need to eliminate security issues,” he said, adding that economic development is only possible in a safe and secure atmosphere.
Fidan also said Iran may be included in the economic and security dimension of the discussions, as Ankara discusses Iraq and the issue of terrorism when holding meetings with Tehran.
Referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s upcoming visit to Iraq next month, Fidan said Ankara wants to institutionalize its relations with Iraq and plans to ink various agreements in the economy, agriculture, water and more.
‘NO ENEMIES WITH ALLIES’
Regarding Türkiye’s ongoing counterterrorism operations, Fidan said Ankara wants to collaborate with its allies, which serves the interests of all actors.
“Everybody in Iraq wants electricity, roads, hospitals and a good education system and they’ve been putting pressure on the coalition in this regard,” Fidan said, adding that politicians have increasingly favored focusing on development. This parallels Ankara’s regional vision, according to Fidan, who said Türkiye wants a stability-based vision in the region.
“We do not want to become enemies with our allies as we eliminate the PKK,” he said, adding that Ankara expects them not to support
the terrorist group. He referred to the local administration in Sulaymaniyah, which he said does not only support the PKK terrorists but also lets the YPG terrorists use the region to provide logistical support to the terrorists.
“We will continue to pressure them,” Fidan said, adding that officials in Sulaymaniyah need to correct their mistake immediately.
Fidan’s remarks came as Turkish officials raised the possibility of a large-scale military offensive in Iraq to eliminate the threat of the PKK this summer and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler affirmed their intent “to close the last security loophole” in the region.
YPG, SYRIA, GAZA
Touching on relations with the U.S., Fidan said that Washington’s support for the YPG is one of Türkiye’s primary security concerns, noting “this is a national security threat for us.”
Regarding the Syria issue, he said that for Türkiye, the top priority regarding Syria is the continuation of the Astana agreement and the avoidance of a conflict between the Syrian opposition and the regime at the moment, as “this would be a trigger point for instability.”
Fidan also commented on Ankara’s role in mediating peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine, highlighting the significant impact of Türkiye’s calls for peace in the region.
He expressed his country’s discomfort with the tragedy and the risk of the war spreading to the region. “The Black Sea has become an increasingly militarized area. There is a risk of spillover into the Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Europe. This is dangerous. It is a matter that more Europeans should be concerned about than us.”
On Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, Fidan said there is a certain deadlock in the negotiations conducted through intermediaries between Hamas and Israel for a cease-fire.
Noting that Qatar and Egypt have done what is necessary to address the pause in negotiations, Fidan said Türkiye is trying to play a positive and constructive role.
“While these efforts continue, it is unacceptable for (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu to turn this into a show to save his own future. Even more serious is the silence of the West on this matter,” he added.
Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people.
More than 31,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave, and nearly 73,800 others have been injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the U.N.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.