Iraqi government and Ministry of Peshmerga deny cooperation with Turkey against PKK

It called the operation a "blatant violation" of the country's sovereignty.

Kurdistan 24 2022/04/21 11:41

Turkish soldiers during a military operation in Iraq. (Photo: Anadolu Agency)

Middle East Iraq Krg Kurdistan Region Operation Claw-Lock Erdogan

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Peshmerga and the Iraqi government denied cooperating with Turkey in its latest cross-border operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Their statements followed remarks made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a parliamentary meeting with members of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Wednesday.

"I thank the central government in Iraq and the regional administration (Kurdistan Regional Government) for their support to our fight against terror," he said.

"We deny all the accusations and announce that the Peshmerga forces have neither been mobilized nor participated in the [Turkish] operations," read the Ministry of Peshmerga statement on Wednesday.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Al-Sahaf told the Iraqi state channel Al-Iraqiya on Wednesday that the Turkish claims of coordination with the Iraqi government in the operation are "not true and sheer allegations".

The ministry previously summoned the Turkish Ambassador to Iraq, handing him a "strongly worded note" regarding Operation Claw-Lock. It called the operation a "blatant violation" of the country's sovereignty.

Turkey launched Claw-Lock, an air and ground operation, against suspected PKK positions in mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region's Duhok province, particularly Avasheen, Basiyan, and Zab.