Turkish, Iraqi officials hold border security meeting in northern Iraq

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Turkish and Iraqi officials on Sunday held a border security meeting in northern Iraq, the Turkish National Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.

"The operations we carry out in northern Iraq are executed in close coordination with Iraqi security units," the ministry said in a statement.

A Turkish delegation led by Commander of the 2nd Army Lt. Gen. Metin Tokel held meetings with Iraqi security officials within the borders of the Operation Claw-Lock region, it added.

At the meeting, the security of the Iraq-Türkiye border line, and measures to increase the security of Iraqi citizens were discussed, according to the statement.

Türkiye’s National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalin held a closed-door meeting Monday in the capital Ankara.

The meeting came after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated that Türkiye is resolute in its fight against terrorism.

"As we have openly told them in person, we call on all in the region to respect this security strategy of ours. Otherwise, they themselves will be the reason for potential tensions. We have preparations that will cause new nightmares to those who assume they can bring Türkiye to its knees by establishing a ‘terroristan’ along our southern borders," Erdogan warned.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to target the PKK terror organization's hideouts in Iraq's northern Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border.