The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) has condemned Turkey’s intensified military presence and human rights violations in Iraqi Kurdistan, calling for urgent international intervention. “There is an urgent need to end Turkish militarism by encouraging Turkey to free Abdullah Öcalan and to enter into negotiations with him,” the KNK said in a press release published 1 July.
KNK highlighted that a dialogue process similar to the 2013-2015 peace talks between the Erdoğan government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) could help resolve the Turkish-Kurdish conflict and bring stability to the region. The organisation urged the Iraqi government, the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and the Council of Europe to take immediate action to prevent further violence.
Turkey has recently ramped up a full-scale cross-border invasion into Iraqi Kurdistan, citing efforts to combat PKK fighters, but faces accusations of violating Iraqi sovereignty and threatening regional stability. “The reported deployment of hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles – along with the establishment of military bases – raises serious concerns about Turkey’s intentions in the region,” the KNK said.
Local sources report that over 110 Turkish military bases have been established up to 35 kilometres inside Iraqi territory, the KNK added. Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), a US-based human rights organisation, stated that Turkey has this year carried out over 800 attacks on the Kurdistan Region and Nineveh Province, resulting in eight civilian deaths.
A Channel 8 report highlighted that over the past 10 days, 300 tanks and armoured vehicles have been deployed in Iraqi Kurdistan and around 1,000 Turkish military personnel stationed in Dohuk province since 25 June. The aggressive actions of the Turkish military, including setting up checkpoints, interrogating locals, and emptying villages, indicate a de facto occupation that undermines the sovereignty of Iraq and the Kurdish people, the KNK warned.
The destruction of the Assyrian Christian village of Miske and the construction of new military bases in the Zakho region for the Iraqi-Turkish Development Road project have heightened concerns, the KNK added. The visit of a high-level Turkish delegation to Baghdad is seen as part of efforts to pressure the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to ally with Turkey and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) against the PKK.
The PUK faction in the Iraqi parliament also condemned the violations, describing them as a threat to national security and the safety of citizens. The Freedom Movement and the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) have also expressed alarm, criticising the lack of response from Baghdad and Erbil and warning of possible permanent annexation.
