Bafel Talabani, leader of Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s (KRI) Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) declared that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was no enemy and said the party refused to make concessions to Turkey, during a speech in Baghdad on 4 March. Turkey’s drone attacks have been continuous, he said, pointing to an incident in which three of his fellow fighters, who had fought against ISIS, were killed by Turkish forces.
“The PKK is not our enemy, and we have relations with them. Our enmity cannot extend to any Kurdish party within the Kurdistan Region’s territories. The Turkish state’s attacks on the Region persist, and three of my comrades, who fought against ISIS, were killed by the Turkish state. Therefore, Turkey must reassess its intelligence and military posture,” Talabani said, in an address at the Rafidan Dialogue forum in Baghdad.
Additionally, Talabani emphasised that the US-led coalition in Iraq was non-invasive and advocated for the United States to recognise Iraq and Iran’s constructive partnership.
Turkey has recently escalated threats against the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan both issuing warnings over the PUK’s relationship with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Erdoğan, speaking at an event in Antalya, accused the PUK of harbouring militants and contributing to regional instability.
These statements coincided with Turkey’s ongoing military operations and extrajudicial killings in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), which have a severe impact on civilian life and decrease the ability of Kurdish forces in the region to combat ISIS. Fidan specifically threatened further actions if the PUK did not alter its stance on the PKK, particularly regarding the group’s activities in the KRI’s Suleymaniyah (Slemani).
During the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the Iraqi Foreign Minister urged both Turkey and the PUK to mend relations, highlighting the deteriorating nature of the situation.
Talabani also stressed the importance of maintaining a constructive relationship with the PKK, opposing all hostility towards the armed political movement.
He also commented on the Federal Court’s decision regarding the Kurdistan Region’s election law, describing it as harsh and a reflection of previously unjust elections in the region.
Talabani pointed to the debate over the presence of American forces in Iraq and advocated for the forces to remain under a new agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom. Iraq would benefit from establishing positive relations with all countries, he said, and urged Washington to take Iraq’s position into consideration.
Furthermore, Talabani said Baghdad must not be treated as an enemy, advocated for realistic terms of engagement, and encouraged coordination between both governments for mutual benefit and to ensure stability in the region.
