Turkey’s recent military escalation in Iraqi Kurdistan could lead to a broader conflict in the Middle East, according to the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) in a statement released on Monday. The KNK highlighted that the aggression could destabilise the already volatile region.
The KNK’s statement came in response to Turkey’s intensified military operations in the Metîna region of Iraqi Kurdistan, which began on 21 April and have penetrated 40 km into Iraqi territory. This aggressive move coincides with Turkey’s attempts to secure Iraqi approval for its actions, leveraging diplomatic channels to legitimise its expansionist ambitions.
On 31 March, Turkey’s local elections reflected a significant rebuke of President Erdoğan’s ruling party, with Kurdish and democratic opposition forces expressing strong disapproval of his authoritarian and militaristic policies. These policies have not only targeted Kurdish regions in Turkey, Iraq and Syria but have also exacerbated Turkey’s internal socio-economic crises, contributing to an inflation rate of 68.50%, a conservative official estimation.
The KNK criticised the timing of Turkey’s military actions, strategically launched just before Erdoğan’s diplomatic visit to Baghdad, viewing it as a power play intended to coerce Iraq into compliance and position Turkey as a neo-Ottoman authority in the region. The statement also condemned the ongoing cooperation between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Turkish regime, urging all Kurdish forces to reject any collaboration that undermines Kurdish interests.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, the KNK called on international bodies, including the UN, EU, Council of Europe, OSCE and NATO, to take immediate action against Turkey’s militaristic pursuits, which threaten not only the Kurds but the stability of the entire Middle East.
