Iraqi, Turkish ministers discuss security in Ankara

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul-Amir al-Shammari arrived in Ankara on Wednesday, heading a high-level delegation to discuss enhancing security ties and information sharing with Turkish officials.

Shammari held talks with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, focusing on “the promotion of mutual security cooperation and exchange of information and expertise,” according to a statement from the Iraqi minister’s office.

Security coordination between Ankara and Baghdad has expanded since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Iraq in April, signing dozens of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in various areas, including infrastructure, water management, and security.

Since then, Iraq has taken several actions against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey - including banning the group and closing three political parties with alleged ties to it.

Turkey also has a military presence in the Kurdistan Region where it has dozens of military bases and its forces have killed at least 344 civilians since the 1990s, the US-based Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), a human rights organization and conflict monitor tracking these Turkish operations, said in a damning report on August 14.