Turkey said it was ready to help the Iraqi government oust Kurdish fighters from the disputed city of Kirkuk, on Monday.
Image / AFP.
On Monday, Iraqi forces took control of a military airport near Kirkuk from Kurdish fighters.
Ankara fears independence moves by the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) could spark similar moves by its own Kurdish minority.
Iraq’s National Security Council on Sunday said it viewed as a “declaration of war” the presence of “fighters not belonging to the regular security forces in Kirkuk,” including fighters from the PKK.
Turkish authorities said Ankara would now talk to the central government in Baghdad rather than Iraqi Kurdish leaders, with whom they had forged close ties in the past.
The PKK, which has waged an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984, is listed as a terror group by Turkey and much of the international community including the United States.
“The foreign ministry said we are warning the (Kurdistan regional government) not to add to the grave mistakes it has made in recent times and those who help the PKK terror group ... find safe haven in this region will be held responsible also by us.”
Image / AFP.
On Monday, Iraqi forces took control of a military airport near Kirkuk from Kurdish fighters.
Ankara fears independence moves by the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) could spark similar moves by its own Kurdish minority.
Iraq’s National Security Council on Sunday said it viewed as a “declaration of war” the presence of “fighters not belonging to the regular security forces in Kirkuk,” including fighters from the PKK.
Turkish authorities said Ankara would now talk to the central government in Baghdad rather than Iraqi Kurdish leaders, with whom they had forged close ties in the past.
The PKK, which has waged an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984, is listed as a terror group by Turkey and much of the international community including the United States.
“The foreign ministry said we are warning the (Kurdistan regional government) not to add to the grave mistakes it has made in recent times and those who help the PKK terror group ... find safe haven in this region will be held responsible also by us.”
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