Abadi warns as Turkey deploys tanks to Iraq border

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday warned Turkey of a military confrontation after the Turkish military deployed tanks, artillery, and other armored vehicles to the border.

“We do not want to confront with Turkey, but God forbid if a confrontation occurs Turks will pay a heavy price,” said Abadi in a speech carried on Iraqi TV.

On Tuesday, the Turkish military began moving a large convoy of tanks and other armored vehicles to the Kurdish town of Silopi in Sirnak Province neighboring the Iraqi border.

The latest move came after a two months-long war of words between the leaders of the two countries over the presence of a Turkish military base near the town of Bashiqa, some 10 miles east of the Islamic State (IS)-held city of Mosul.

In his press conference, Abadi declared a Turkish invasion of Iraq would result in Turkey’s dismantlement.

Turkey’s Defense Minister Fikri Isik on Wednesday made a surprise visit to the border with Syria. The Defense Minister had earlier said his country had “no obligation” to sit idly as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was turning the Ezidi Kurdish town of Shingal “into a second Qandil.”

Turkish officials had previously threatened an invasion of Shingal if the PKK did not withdraw.

The Kurdish group came to the area in 2014 when IS began a genocidal campaign against the Yezidis (Ezidis).

Turkey has also unsuccessfully been insisting on having a role in the ongoing Kurdish-Iraqi operation launched two weeks ago to recapture Mosul from IS insurgents.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany