Iraqi government seeks full control of Mahkmour Camp: security advisor

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi government has begun making preparations to take full control of Makhmour Camp in Erbil province, an Iraqi security advisor told Rudaw on Friday. The camp is currently held by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 

Saad al-Jayashi, Security Advisor at the Iraqi National Security Advisory, told Rudaw's Mushtaq Ramadhan on Friday that the Iraqi government lost control of Makhmour Camp when the Islamic State (ISIS) attacked Iraq and took control of large swaths of territory. He added that while the camp is no longer under their control, they are currently seeking to retake control of the administration, security and services of the camp. 

"I think Makhmour Camp, which holds Kurdish families of the PKK, is an inherited issue. Iraq in the new era, or post-2003, has inherited several old issues which date back to before 2003. This includes PJAK, PKK, and Mojahedin-e Khalq," said Jayashi. 

The Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK) and PKK are two armed Kurdish groups fighting for Kurdish political and cultural rights in Iran and Turkey respectively. Tehran and Anakra have bombarded the positions of these groups inside the Kurdistan Region for decades. Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) is an exiled Iranian opposition group in Europe. 

"The government has treated them as per the constitution because the new Iraqi constitution is a clear one. It bans Iraqi territory from being used as a base, corridor or a launchpad to attack the neighbouring countries. This is a constitutional commitment on all cabinets," noted the security advisor. "The PKK camp, the refugee camp in Makhmour, has gone through several stages. Before 2014, it was well-organised but after 2014 incidents [ISIS takeover of Iraqi territory], terrorist groups expanded, controlled [territories] and entered Iraq to carry out activities. [Iraq] lost control of this camp when it began preparing to encounter these dangers. I do not know how it happened."

Jayashi said things have changed now. 

"However, now things are different as there is a high-level coordination, the high committee which concerns the affairs of the refugees under the supervision of deputy interior minister of Iraq has a census on the camp population and the camp is being monitored.  Although they are refugees, they should be under the control of Iraq in terms of organisation, monitoring and protection. The Joint Operations Command, under the auspices of His Excellency Prime Minister, has issued a security plan to protect this camp," he said, adding that "Even a budget has been dedicated for this plan. There will be a fence and [observation] towers as well as CCTV in order to ensure that all movements into and out of the camp are carried out with the knowledge of the [camp] administration."

According to unofficial figures, the camp hosts more than 12,000 Kurdish refugees who fled persecution by the Turkish state since the 1990s. However, Jayashi said the number varies due to developments in recent years. 

"Regarding inside the camp, a police station was established there nearly two months ago. There are also schools and facilities. They should be under the control of Iraq's official authorities as per the state system rather than a new system which could bring out a new culture that could not be right. There is work in this field. Their number varies because as I said it [camp] has gone through different stages. However, we have reached a new stage: administration, protection and organisation."

The official also said that the vicinity of the camp is patrolled by police. 

"Nineveh police are stationed in the vicinity of the camp constantly to protect them. There could be  an unorganised movement in and out of the camp. There are claims that there are weapons, movement and other things. The Iraqi government insists on controlling the issue in a good way. We respect the refugees and we will provide their rights but they should respect Iraq's sovereignty and laws," he said. 

Turkey has bombarded the camp and its vicinity several times recently, leading to civilian casualties. Ankara claims that it is targeting PKK fighters positioned there, not civilians.

The Turkish army launched a new military operation in Iraq in early February, targeting a number of areas on the Iraq-Syria border, including the vicinity of Makhmour Camp. The Turkish defence ministry confirmed the attack, saying that it marked the launch of a new security operation, dubbed "Winter Eagle", against the PKK in "northern Iraq and Syria."

 

The Iraqi advisor said Baghdad and Ankara have discussed the camp, with the Iraqi side showing commitment to bring the administration, security and services of the camp under its control. "We will not allow arbitrary movement into the camp, military phenomenon, and military clothes because this is a refugee camp and Iraq's laws should be respected."

He also said that there are 13 federal schools in the camp but "we do not know what curriculum they teach and who teaches. Therefore, there is a reorganisation of things now."