KDP’s Iraqi parliamentarian Şaxewan Abdullah spoke to ANF, emphasized that the Turkish state wants to participate in Mosul operation in order to make Tal Afar a city under Turkmen control, and that Sunni Arabs use Turkey as leverage against the Iraqi government in order to prevent Shia militias from participating in Mosul operation.

‘HELPING DOES NOT GIVE ANYONE THE RIGHT TO ACT ILLEGALLY’

Abdullah recalled that they had thanked the Iranian and Turkish states for their support againt ISIS, but added that helping does not give any state the right to act illegally in Iraq. Abdullah said “I too voted in parliament for the withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from Bashiqa. As the Iraq Security Committee, we summoned the Turkish consulate in Baghdad and said that under the agreement between Iraq and Turkey, the Turkish soldiers in Bashiqa were responsible only for maintaining security in the region.” Abdullah noted that some Sunni tribes opposed the participation of Hashd al Shaabi in Mosul operation and used the Turkish army’s participation as leverage against the Iraqi army.

Abdullah stated that Turkish soldiers arrived in Bashiqa in 2015 for training purposes and this arrival was decided upon during Davutoğlu’s Hewler visit in 2015, after which 10 thousand people were sent from South Kurdistan to Bashiqa in order to receive training.

‘TURKEY CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN THE OPERATION WITHOUT BAGHDAD’S APPROVAL’

KDP’s Iraqi parliamentarian Şaxewan Abdullah emphasized that the forces that will participate in Mosul operation needed the approval of Baghdad government, and said “It is impossible for the Turkish state to participate in Mosul operation without the approval of the Iraqi government. The Iraqi government has the right to determine which forces from within Iraq, as well as from Turkish state forces, can participate in the operation. Some forces from within Iraq will not be able to join Mosul operation either.”

Lastly, Abdullah said that the Turkish state insists on participating in Mosul operation in order to make Tal Afar a city under Turkmen control.