The Prime Ministers of Iraq and Turkey emphasized after their meeting on Saturday in Baghdad that the disputes between the two countries regarding the presence of Turkish military forces in northern Iraq will be resolved in the near future. According to AFP, Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, stated on Saturday, January 8, during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart that the Turkish Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation confirmed that the issue of Turkish military presence in northern Iraq 'will soon be resolved satisfactorily.' Al-Abadi also announced that an agreement had been reached with the autonomous Kurdistan Region for Iraqi forces to take control of the Sinjar area. He stressed that the Sinjar region must be under the complete control of Iraqi forces and that no foreign forces should control this area. During the Saturday press conference, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced that his Iraqi counterpart had provided the necessary guarantees regarding the handling of the PKK insurgents. He stated that 'this [guarantee] is very important to us, and it is the best way to show that we can act against terrorism.' In the same press conference, Yildirim also stated that Turkey respects and supports Iraq's territorial integrity. Turkey has long maintained part of its military forces at a base near Bashiqa in northern Mosul, and the reinforcement of these forces in 2015 fueled disputes between the two countries. This base was under the control of ISIS for a period but was retaken by Turkey in November 2016, nearly two months ago. In this context, Iraq has accused its northern neighbor of violating its territorial integrity, but Ankara insists on continuing its operations against the PKK insurgents based in northern Iraq. AFP's report noted that the PKK and its local allies control key areas of the Sinjar region, which lies between Mosul and the Syrian border in southern Turkey. Turkey attributes several deadly attacks that have occurred in various parts of Turkey to the PKK insurgents and has stated that it has no hesitation in confronting them even outside its borders.
Iraqi Prime Minister: The Issue of Turkish Military Presence in Northern Iraq Will Be Resolved Soon
Iraqi and Turkish Prime Ministers have agreed to resolve the issue of Turkish military presence in northern Iraq soon, with Iraq asserting control over the Sinjar region. This agreement comes amid ongoing tensions regarding the PKK insurgency and Turkey's military operations in the area.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iraqi and Turkish Prime Ministers agreed to resolve the issue of Turkish military presence in northern Iraq, with Iraq asserting control over the Sinjar region. This agreement addresses ongoing tensions related to the PKK insurgency and Turkey's military operations.
- Turkey has maintained a military presence in northern Iraq to combat PKK insurgents.
- Iraq has accused Turkey of violating its territorial integrity but seeks to manage the PKK threat.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Turkey has long been involved in military operations in northern Iraq to combat the PKK, which it considers a terrorist organization. The PKK's presence complicates Iraq's internal security and its relations with Turkey.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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