Turkey responds to Iraq’s denial of involvement in anti-PKK offensive

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Turkish foreign ministry said on Thursday that they have summoned the Iraqi embassy’s charge d'affaires in Ankara over the Iraqi government’s denial of supporting Turkey’s fresh military campaign against Kurdish rebels in Duhok, describing the denial as an “allegation.” 

Turkey announced a new phase of a series of military operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Duhok province on Monday. Dubbed Operation Claw-Lock, the air and ground campaign heavily focuses on mountainous areas on Turkey’s borders with the Kurdistan Region.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed on Wednesday that the new operation is carried out in coordination with the Iraqi government, thanking Baghdad and Erbil for their “support.” Hours later, the Iraqi foreign ministry and Kurdish Peshmerga ministry denied their involvement.

Tanju Bilgic, spokesperson for the Turkish foreign ministry, said on Thursday that they have called in Iraq's top envoy and submitted a note containing Ankara’s views. He described the Iraqi foreign ministry’s statement which denied Iraq’s involvement as an “unfounded allegation.”

The spokesperson also said that as long as the Iraqi authorities do not take “concrete and effective steps” against the PKK, Ankara will take necessary measures “on the basis of its right to self-defence.”

The Iraqi foreign ministry slammed the Turkish operation and summoned Ankara’s ambassador to Baghdad on Tuesday.

Turkey is exporting its own internal security threat to Iraqi territory through its recently launched military operation in the Kurdistan Region, Ahmad al-Sahaf, spokesperson of Iraq’s foreign ministry, told Rudaw on Tuesday, calling the operation a “hostile” and “provocative” violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.