Türkiye expects Iraq to officially recognize PKK as terrorist organization: Turkish foreign minister

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye expects Iraq to officially recognize PKK as a terrorist organization, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in Iraq's capital Baghdad, Fidan said: “We expect Iraq, out of friendship and brotherhood, to officially recognize PKK as a terrorist organization.”

“We must not allow the PKK terrorist organization, which is a mutual enemy of Türkiye and Iraq, to poison our bilateral relations,” he added.

“We cannot accept PKK challenging the sovereignty of Iraq.”

Fidan said that territorial integrity, political unity, and sovereignty of Iraq are one of Türkiye's priorities.

“Sinjar, Makhmour, Qandil, Sulaymaniyah, and many other Iraqi villages have been occupied by the PKK terror group.”

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