Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday said the central government in Baghdad supported Turkey’s latest offensive against outlawed Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, Agence France-Presse reported.
The Turkish leader’s comments came a day after Iraq summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Baghdad to lodge a formal protest against Erdoğan ‘s latest military campaign.
Turkey’s armed forces have reported the death of two soldiers and dozens of Kurdish militants since the launch Sunday of their third offensive in northern Iraq since 2020.
Erdoğan told a parliamentary meeting of his ruling party that both Baghdad and the leaders of the autonomous Kurdish region based in Erbil supported Turkey’s ground and air assault.
“I thank the central government in Iraq and the regional administration for their support to our fight against terror,” Erdoğan said.
“I wish success for our heroic soldiers involved in this operation, which we are carrying out in close cooperation with the central Iraqi government and the regional administration in northern Iraq.”
Some analysts believe that Iraqi leader — while lodging formal protests — are privately happy that Turkey is trying to punish militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
The group is recognized as a terrorist organization by both Ankara and its Western allies.
