No joint Turkish-Iraqi military deployment to Kurdistan Ibrahim Khalil border crossing: Official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Reports of a joint Turkish-Iraqi military deployment to Ibrahim Khalil are unfounded as business at the border continues as usual, according to a Kurdish official.

Ibrahim Khalil border crossing Security Director Abdul Wahab Mohammed on Tuesday affirmed the situation at the Kurdistan Region and Turkish border gate remained normal and that no Iraqi forces had mobilized to the area.

“There has been no Iraqi incursion on the border at the Ibrahim Khalil gate,” Mohammed stated.

The Security Director clarified that two Iraqi officers, one of whom has been involved in the ceasefire negotiations and talks with Peshmerga Forces regarding the border crossings and disputed areas, visited Iraqi troops stationed in Turkey.

“Iraqi officers, including Lt. General Othman al-Ghanimi, along with two Kurdish military academy officers, met with Iraqi federal forces in Turkey for 30 minutes,” Mohammed explained. “They did not meet with any Turkish officials.”

He emphasized that the visit was done in coordination with Peshmerga Forces and that they had not received any formal communication from the Turkish or Iraqi government regarding any military activities or changes to Ibrahim Khalil.

“The rumors are baseless,” he said. “Trade remains normal,” as the situation at the vital commercial border “has not changed.”

The claims, circulating on certain Turkish and Arabic media outlets, were that Ankara had handed over the border crossing located within the Kurdistan Region to Baghdad.

There were earlier claims that the Iraqi Federal Government would send troops to the coveted border crossing as part of Baghdad’s response to the Sep. 25 referendum on independence for the Kurdistan Region.

In the aftermath of the vote, Baghdad demanded all international border crossings, airports, and disputed areas come under federal authority.

There are currently 33 Iraqi soldiers stationed within the Turkish territory as part of an agreement between Baghdad and Ankara following the referendum.

Previously, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's had said Turkey was considering opening a new border crossing with the Federal Government of Iraq and closing the current Ibrahim Khalil gate being managed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). 

The rumors spread despite negotiations between the Kurdish and Iraqi sides making headway on Monday, with an alleged agreement that Kurdish, Iraqi and American forces would jointly manage the Faysh Khabur border crossing in the Kurdistan Region near Turkey.