Turkey has reportedly brought hundreds of Islamic State (ISIS) fighters to Iraqi Kurdistan and stationed them in Duhok province, the Centre for Evidence of Violations in North and East Syria announced on Tuesday. According to the centre’s report, these fighters will undergo training in specialised military camps before their deployment.
Turkey has persuaded the Syrian ISIS fighters it recruited from the occupied areas of northern Syria with promises of money, weapons and support in exchange for their cooperation, Roj News reported. Most of these fighters belong to the Suleiman Shah Brigade and Hamza groups, both of which have previously faced sanctions from the United States.
The report specified that over 300 ISIS fighters have been placed in Turkish military bases within the Berwari Bala region of Duhok. Additionally, former ISIS mercenaries have reportedly been integrated into the Turkish army and deployed to the Kurdistan region.
Meanwhile, Sharpress media disclosed that Turkey has significantly increased its military presence in Erbil (Hewlêr), establishing three new major bases within the past week. Over the last five years, ten new Turkish military bases have been built in the Bradost region, also known as Sidekan (Sîdekan), with two more added in just the last two months.
In addition, military expert Ala Nashuri has commented that the Iraqi government has shown little resistance to Turkey’s actions, indicating a lack of will to defend its territory. This development has raised concerns about the stability and sovereignty of the region amid Turkey’s expanding influence and military presence.
