The Kurdistan Communities Union’s (KCK) External Relations Committee has strongly criticised the recent visit of Turkish ministers to Baghdad, accusing Turkey of seeking to pressure Iraq into supporting its “genocidal” policies against the Kurdish population.
In a statement released on Thursday, the KCK warned that Turkey’s actions pose a significant threat to the stability and security of the entire region.
The visit of Turkish ministers to Iraq earlier on Thursday comes at a time when Ankara is seeking to expand its military operations against Kurdish groups beyond its borders. The KCK’s statement highlights the potential consequences of this visit, emphasising that Turkey’s aim is to rally support from Iraq for its ongoing attacks on Kurdish communities.
Underlining the deep-rooted grievances and concerns of the Kurdish community and the urgent need for a peaceful solution to the conflict, the Committee urged the Iraqi government to resist external pressure and prioritise the protection of its own citizens.
“The Iraqi state has constitutionally recognised the identity and rights of the Kurds and has taken significant steps to resolve the Kurdish question. In contrast to the denialist, extermination and genocidal policies of past regimes, the current Iraqi state has embarked on a democratic path. If the Iraqi state takes bolder steps towards democratisation, it will take a pioneering position in the Middle East and gain the support of all Kurds and democratic circles. Seeing this, the Turkish state is persistently trying to distance Iraq from the path of democratisation, to involve it in its own extermination and genocidal policies and to return to its policies of a century ago. In order to achieve this, it resorts to all kinds of threats and blackmail. Now they are supposedly going to hold a security meeting with Iraqi officials,” the statement read.
Turkey has been involved in a long-standing conflict with Kurdish groups, particularly the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The Turkish government has carried out numerous military operations against the PKK in neighbouring countries, including Iraq and Syria. The KCK argues that Turkey’s intention to involve Iraq in its military campaigns is a direct violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and a threat to the stability of the region.
The KCK’s statement reflects the deep concern within the Kurdish community over Turkey’s aggressive policies towards Kurds, which they view as tantamount to genocide. The accusation of genocide stems from Turkey’s military campaigns, which have resulted in the displacement, injury, and deaths of many Kurdish civilians.
