The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has accused the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of deliberately provoking Turkey to attack Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî), as the media war between the two Iraqi Kurdish parties intensifies.
PUK spokesman Saedi Ahmed Pire criticised the KDP in a press statement on Sunday, alleging that it is spreading false information to mislead Turkey and justify attacks on Sulaymaniyah. “Masrour Barzani [KDP Prime Minister in the Regional Government] should defend Sulaymaniyah and reject Turkey’s threats instead of encouraging them,” Pire stated, adding that the media reports by the KDP “are untrue and serve to incite other countries to launch attacks on Sulaymaniyah.”
These accusations come in response to the KDP-affiliated media publishing an interview with Mahmoud Rash, an alleged former Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) commander now with the KDP, who claimed that the PUK is supporting PKK activities in Sulaymaniyah. The KDP’s official newspaper also reported that the PKK has set up “recruitment factories” in Sulaymaniyah, training and sending recruits to Qandil and Syria.
“The Khabat newspaper report is not genuine news but rather a fabrication,” stated Latif Nerwayi, the spokesman for the PUK’s Information Board, responding to the allegations. “If they want to know where the PKK is, they should look at the areas they control, such as Erbil (Hewlêr) and Duhok (Duhoq). This kind of propaganda and false reporting harms the security and future of the Kurdistan Region and ultimately makes the people of the region suffer.”
Amidst these tensions, the Kurdistan election process is mired in further complications. The Iraqi judiciary is divided, with the Federal Court and the Electoral Judiciary issuing conflicting rulings. The Federal Court supports suspending the elections until Masrour Barzani‘s complaint is resolved, while the Electoral Judiciary urges resumption of preparations for the elections.
The recent anti-PUK media campaign by KDP-affiliated outlets follows on from recent threats issued by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, implying potential targeted attacks against the PUK stronghold of Sulaymaniyah if alleged cooperation with the PKK persists.
