Turkey’s intensified military incursion into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) has been met with little to no response from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), while regional media coverage of the invasion remains minimal. Nevertheless, political figures, journalists, and citizens of Kurdistan are expressing their opposition to Turkey’s actions, along with their growing frustrations toward both the Iraqi central government and the KRG authorities.
Mahmoud Othman, a veteran Kurdish politician, believes that Turkey’s ultimate goal in its large-scale invasion of the KRI is to establish a 30-kilometer-deep security buffer zone. He claims that while the US has supported Turkey’s objectives, the KRG remains silent, and Iraq has subtly endorsed this move. Othman argues that although Turkey justifies its attacks under the guise of targeting Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) guerrillas, the real issue is Turkey’s denial of Kurdish identity, overall.
Adham Barzani, once a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) political bureau member and now a vocal critic of the party, condemned the welcoming of Turkish forces—what he calls ‘dark forces’—into the Kurdistan Region, warning that it threatens the very future of Kurdistan.
Reports from locals suggest that the Turkish military, having occupied nearly 76 percent of the Badinan (Behdinan) area, is effectively treating these territories as its own.
Kamran Othman, a representative of the Community Peacemakers Teams (CPT) organisation, recently told Awene newspaper—based in Sulaymaniyah (Silemani) —that in the occupied areas, the Turkish army is jamming Kurdish television channels, further asserting its control. Visitors to these areas have even received mobile notifications saying, “Goodbye Iraq, welcome to Turkey”.
In Sulaymaniyah, where freedom of speech is relatively protected, citizens have openly criticised the KRG’s lack of response to Turkey’s invasion.
Zartasht Jalal, a local activist, condemned the KRG’s inaction, stating, “Turkey has violated Iraq’s sovereignty by disregarding international laws. Kurds must react to these occupation attacks. What’s truly regrettable is the silence from both the Iraqi government and Kurdish political parties. Turkey’s ultimate goal is to occupy all of Kurdistan, and the people must respond to this silence.”
Bakhtiar Mohammad, another Sulaymaniyah activist, argued that Turkey’s massive invasion is an attempt to annex the Kurdistan Region into Turkish territory. He highlighted Turkey’s long-standing hostility toward Kurds in both Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) and Bashur (Iraqi Kurdistan), stating, “Turkey refuses to acknowledge the existence of Kurds anywhere in the Middle East, viewing them as a threat to its own interests.”
Turkey’s recent attacks have extended beyond the Badinan areas. Just last night, on 8 August, Turkish warplanes bombed villages in the Mawat region of Sulaymaniyah, near the borders with Rojhilat (Iranian Kurdistan).
