Irfan Abdul Aziz, leader of the Islamic Movement Party based in northern Iraq, denounced the terrorist group PKK for stunting development in the regions they occupied. The PKK, which has claimed thousands of lives in Türkiye since the 1980s, is active, especially in northern Iraqi areas controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
Aziz told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday that the group has always posed a problem for KRG and hindered development in regions it is present, from Qandil mountains to Sharbazher and Penjwen, two major districts of Sulaymaniyah Governorate where PKK enjoys support from a KRG-based party. “They are bad for the region’s security, especially nowadays. If tensions they caused aggravate, it will spread to Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah,” he said, two cities with diverse ethnic communities. He warned that any power vacuum caused by PKK may pave the way for “other powers to destabilize the region.”
Aziz called on the Baghdad and KRG governments to increase their clout in regions where the PKK is active, instill a sense of security in the public, and promote the full development of those regions.
Last week, Türkiye and Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding on security, military, and counterterrorism cooperation after two days of high-level security talks in Ankara that focused on fighting the PKK.
The landmark pact envisages the establishment of permanent committees for cooperation in necessary fields, which would boost ties in trade, energy, water, transportation and education. Speaking after the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan welcomed “Iraq’s growing awareness about the PKK.”
PKK has strongholds in northern Iraq from where it launches attacks into Türkiye.
At a news conference with Fidan after their meeting in Ankara, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said the presence of PKK terrorists in northern Iraq poses “a danger for the Kurdistan region and other Iraqi cities” and poses a threat to Iraqi society.
“The Iraqi government has decided to add the PKK to the list of banned parties,” he added.
The pact follows signs of a thaw in relations between Ankara and Baghdad, which have been strained by a Turkish military operation against the PKK in northern Iraq.
Needing to secure its border with its southern neighbor, Türkiye rolled out Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022. It involved Ankara attacking the terrorist group within Iraq. Baghdad has said the operations violate its sovereignty, but Ankara says they are needed to protect itself. On July 13, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the operation’s imminent end.
Ankara and Baghdad held a fourth round of meetings this week as part of the dialogue mechanism. In March, Iraq labeled the PKK a “banned organization in Iraq” – a move welcomed by Türkiye.
