Turkish Foreign Minister says PKK controls Sulaimani province

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, on Monday told ATV – Turkish television network – that “Talabani's party has received helicopters from France and provided them to terrorists.”

In the interview, FM Cavusoglu touched upon many issues in the region. 

With respect to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), FM Cavusoglu said that the Turkish president consistently raises the U.S support for the PKK and their affiliate, the People's Defense Units – also known as YPG – in his meetings with Joe Biden. 

The Turkish Foreign Minister also stressed that the United States has controlled the air space of the region, so they are aware of all flights.

Regarding the recent helicopter crash in the Duhok province, Cavusoglu confirmed that the helicopter belongs to Talabani's party, not the PKK and YPG.

"There is no information PKK and YPG have any aircraft,” he stated.

"We have repeated several times that the PKK has taken complete control of Sulaimani, especially Talabani's party. They entered strategic points and airports in Sulaimani, but they could not go to Erbil. That’s why we halted our airspace in Sulaimani International Airport,” Cavusoglu reiterated.

He added that "they should know that these terrorists are active in Syria, Qandil Mountains, Sinjar, and Sulaimani.”

“Our operations will continue. We call on Iraq to cooperate with us in conducting operations,” the Foreign Minister declared. 

Concerning the Sinjar agreement, Cavusoglu explained that Iraq has not implemented the Sinjar agreement because of the prevention from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF),but noted that “there is now an opinion to implement the agreement and clean up the area.”