Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has labelled the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), one of the two ruling forces in Iraqi Kurdistan which won the provincial elections in Kirkuk (Kerkûk) last December, as a “national security threat” to Turkey.
Speaking on a television programme, Fidan expressed concern about the PUK’s leadership in Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî) and its alleged links with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), suggesting that these relations “go beyond mere problems” and pose a serious security threat to Turkey.
Expanding on his remarks, Fidan expressed a desire for the Sulaymaniyah-based leadership to reconsider its stance and strengthen its ‘friendship with Turkey’. He spoke of the need to “move forward together towards a common future”, highlighting the importance of cities such as Erbil (Hewlêr), Sulaymaniyah, Baghdad, Kirkuk and Mosul in this regard.
Asked about the possibility of further action, Fidan said Turkey was forced to take necessary measures against those who support its enemies.
“It is my duty to ensure that my enemy does not take advantage of you. I will do this, and when I do, I will not set a trap for you, I will tell you to your face. Give it up, because it is not good for you, because it is not good for anyone,” Fidan said.
Fidan’s remarks come against a backdrop of rising tensions, with Turkey having previously taken steps such as closing its airspace to flights to and from Sulaymaniyah and carrying out air strikes in the region, claiming that the strikes were targeting the PKK.
The Turkish government has consistently demanded that the PUK dissociate itself from certain parties that it has defined as ‘terrorists’, claiming that they have links to PKK, and end the presence of these parties in Sulaymaniyah, the PUK’s stronghold.
The PUK, led by Bafel Talabani, had previously denied accusations of supporting the PKK, stressing that groups labelled ‘terrorist’ by Turkey are recognised as legal political entities within the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. Talabani has also criticised Turkey’s actions and revealed that he is under Turkish surveillance.
🔴 Iraqi Kurdistan: "We are Kurds. There is such a thing as Kurdish stubbornness", said Bafel Talabani (@Bafeltalabani), relating how he would not act on Turkey's demands to close down organisations friendly to PKK.#PUK – #Turkey – #PKKhttps://t.co/fQL6j3oiWo pic.twitter.com/tvLcznbget
— MedyaNews (@1MedyaNews) October 12, 2023
In the recent provincial elections in Iraq, held on 16 December, the PUK won a significant victory over the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Kirkuk, marking the first elections in the region in a decade. This victory has markedly increased the discord between Turkey and the PUK.
These developments come at a time when Turkey is preparing for a major military operation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and attempting to garner support from Iraq and the KRI for its upcoming campaign against the PKK.
