Türkiye Seeks Tripartite Cooperation with Baghdad and Erbil Against PKK

Türkiye Seeks Tripartite Cooperation with Baghdad and Erbil Against PKK.
Türkiye Seeks Tripartite Cooperation with Baghdad and Erbil Against PKK.
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Türkiye Seeks Tripartite Cooperation with Baghdad and Erbil Against PKK

Türkiye Seeks Tripartite Cooperation with Baghdad and Erbil Against PKK.
Türkiye Seeks Tripartite Cooperation with Baghdad and Erbil Against PKK.

Türkiye is intensifying efforts to bolster intelligence and security cooperation with Iraq, aiming to tighten control over the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its supporters in northern Iraq. The initiative involves the exploration of a tripartite cooperation mechanism between Ankara, Baghdad, and Erbil.
Head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalin held two rounds of talks with officials in Baghdad and Erbil during two visits to Iraq in less than a week.
During his visit last week, Kalin met with Iraqi President Abdullatif Rashid, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Shiite and Sunni groups, and Turkmen representatives.
On Sunday, Kalin met with Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Chair Masoud Barzani, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Interior Minister Reber Ahmed, and local administrators, as well as Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) head Hasan Turan and ITC Kirkuk Deputy Ersat Salihi.
Cooperation against the PKK
The officials delved into pressing regional developments, fostering ties between Ankara, Baghdad, and Erbil and enhancing cooperation in the ongoing fight against terrorism. Turkish sources have indicated a shared recognition of the PKK as a common threat to both Türkiye and Iraq.
The Turkish Air Force carried out targeted airstrikes in northern Iraq and Syria, responding to two separate PKK attacks that claimed the lives of 12 Turkish soldiers on December 23 and an additional nine soldiers on January 12.
Ankara issued a warning regarding potential collaboration between the PKK and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), hinting at the contemplation of new measures to counteract such alliances.
Linking security to the economy
In recent strategic maneuvers, Türkiye has shifted its focus to interlinking economic and security cooperation with the pivotal water issue.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi held talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and Ibrahim Kalin on Dec. 19.
National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji, Head of the Popular Mobilization Forces Faleh Al-Fayyad, and the Minister of Interior of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Rebar Ahmed, accompanied Hussein.
The meeting resulted in a roadmap to boost bilateral cooperation.
Discussions tackled water and security files and the resumption of oil exports from Iraq through Türkiye.
The two sides highlighted cooperation in the fight against terrorism and efforts to stop the activity of the PKK in northern Iraq.
Turkish military presence
Over the past five years, Türkiye has executed a series of military operations, collectively known as the "Claw-Lock" in northern Iraq. Anchored in a novel security concept, the operations aim at eradicating terrorism at its source.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently declared that, by the upcoming spring, Türkiye will finalize the infrastructure for newly established bases in northern Iraq, rendering the region inaccessible to terrorists.



UN Official Says Israel Strikes Lebanon-Syria Border Crossing

 People carry their belongings while crossing from Lebanon into Syria, as they walk past a crater caused in the aftermath of an Israeli strike that occurred early on Friday morning, at Jousieh crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Syria October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
People carry their belongings while crossing from Lebanon into Syria, as they walk past a crater caused in the aftermath of an Israeli strike that occurred early on Friday morning, at Jousieh crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Syria October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
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UN Official Says Israel Strikes Lebanon-Syria Border Crossing

 People carry their belongings while crossing from Lebanon into Syria, as they walk past a crater caused in the aftermath of an Israeli strike that occurred early on Friday morning, at Jousieh crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Syria October 28, 2024. (Reuters)
People carry their belongings while crossing from Lebanon into Syria, as they walk past a crater caused in the aftermath of an Israeli strike that occurred early on Friday morning, at Jousieh crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Syria October 28, 2024. (Reuters)

UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said an Israeli air strike hit "humanitarian structures" Saturday at a border crossing between Lebanon and Syria that was previously hit last month.

The crossing, known as Jousieh on the Syrian side, became a key escape route for those fleeing the Israel-Hezbollah war after the main border crossing between the two countries was hit.

But it was put out of service late last month when an Israeli strike created a large crater that blocked vehicle traffic.

"A new Israeli air strike hit the border post of Jousieh, where many Lebanese and Syrians cross from Lebanon to Syria," Grandi said on social media platform X.

"Humanitarian structures were also struck," he said, adding that "even fleeing and taking care of those who flee are becoming difficult and dangerous as the war continues to spread."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said two Israeli strikes hit the Jousieh crossing on Saturday.

The raid came after the main crossing between Beirut and Damascus, known as Masnaa on the Lebanese side, was forced to close by an Israel strike on October 4.

There are six official crossings between Lebanon and Syria, although there are many unofficial routes across the porous border.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of transporting weapons to Lebanon from Syria through the crossings.