SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Senior Kurdish officials slammed the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s statement which is apparently justified suspected Turkish drone attack on Sulaimani International Airport on Friday.
A suspected Turkish drone strike targeted the periphery of Sulaimani International Airport yesterday but resulted in no casualties except for causing a fire which was immediately tackled by the local authorities.
The incident reportedly occurred while a senior Syria’s Rojava official was departing Sulaimani airport for Rojava following a meeting with Global Coalition commanders and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) officials in Sulaimani City.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) spokesperson Jutiar Adil in a statement regarding the attack stated that “This terrible situation is the result of the occupation of government institutions and their use for illegal activities,” and noted “this has caused the closure of Turkish airspace to Sulaimani International Airport,” apparently justifying the attack.
The attack also coincided with Turkey’s airspace embargo on Sulalimani over the alleged intensification of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) activities in the Sulaimani governorate.
Ankara’s embargo is based on allegations that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the dominant party in Sulaimani province, supports the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the province, allowing it to operate freely.
The PKK is a Kurdish group fighting for broader rights in Turkey which Ankara, the United States, and the European Union have designated a “terrorist” organization.
“We explain to the Kurdistan people that Jutiar Adil is not the spokesperson for the KRG, he is only representing a certain party within the government,” said Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani in response to Adli’s statement, and he denounced his words.
“He [Adil] is not allowed to make such statements,” Talabani added and rebuked his words.
In the meantime, Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Rewaz Fayaq stated in a tweet “the KRG has an obligation to behave toward all cities in the Kurdistan Region with the same standards.
“Shame on the perpetrators of the attack and anyone who justifies the attack,” she added.
Moreover, Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG) General Director Wahab Halabjai said “Attacking Kurdistan’s Sulaimani because of its national stances is a Medal of Honor that we will wear instead of evading ourselves.”
Commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Mazloum Abdi announced Saturday the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) national stances have bothered Turkey.
“Turkey is bothered by the PUK national stance to support the brothers in Syria’s Rojava,” he said via Twitter.
He also stressed that the Rojava and the SDF will definitely endure relations with the brothers in Sulaimani and the global anti-ISIS Coalition, and expressed solidarity.
