ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Baghdad is taking a look at its trade with Turkey as it considers using economic pressure to compel Ankara to end its military attacks within Iraq’s borders, the foreign ministry spokesperson told Rudaw on Thursday.
“There is a trade balance between Iraq and Turkey in favor of Turkey with a value of more than $16 billion annually, and there are hundreds of Turkish commercial companies operating in Iraq. We put all of these criteria under urgent evaluation,” said Ahmed al-Sahaf, spokesperson for Iraq’s foreign ministry.
Baghdad is also applying diplomatic pressure. “We are still communicating and coordinating with the Turkish side on the need to apply international laws, good-neighborly rules, and diplomatic agreements,” Sahaf said, adding Iraq plans to push for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to condemn Turkey’s military intervention.
Turkey launched an air campaign dubbed Operation Claw-Eagle in the Kurdistan Region and disputed territories in northern Iraq on June 15. The stated target is positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has its headquarters in the mountains of the Kurdistan Region. Two days later, Turkey launched commando-led ground offensive Operation Claw-Tiger into the Haftanin area, close to the shared border.
Turkey has conducted airstrikes and ground operations against the PKK within Iraq’s borders for years, accusing the federal Iraqi government and Kurdistan Regional Government of failing to take measures against the group.
Turkish warplanes conducted a fresh round of airstrikes near Deraluk and Shiladze towns in Duhok province on Friday, according to Sami Barwari, head of Deraluk town. The Turkish defense ministry announced on the same day they had “neutralized” a PKK fighter in northern Iraq and will “determinedly” continue its campaign. The Turkish government uses the term “neutralized” to denote death, injury, or capture of its adversaries.
At least five civilians have been killed in the Turkish airstrikes and scores of villages have been emptied along the border.
Last month, Iraq’s foreign ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador to Baghdad, Fatih Yildiz, twice, and handed the diplomat a formal memorandum regarding the military offensive.
With many of the PKK’s fighters nestled in the high peaks of the Kurdistan Region’s Qandil mountains, estimates for their numbers across Iraq are difficult to make. Iraqi security analyst, Husham al-Hashimi puts the number of PKK fighters in Iraq including the Kurdistan Region at between 8,500 and 10,000, distributed across 81 points and bases.
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