SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar arrived in Baghdad on Monday to hold talks with senior Iraqi officials, according to Anadolu Agency.
Turkish state news agency AA reported that Akar accompanied by Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces Yasar Guler would meet Iraqi President Barham Salih, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Defense Minister Juma Inad during his official visit to Baghdad.
The Turkish officials are expected to discuss the fight against terrorism as well as cooperation between Turkey and Iraq during their meetings with senior Iraqi officials.
Akar’s visit came nearly a month after his Iraqi counterpart visited Ankara at the request of the Turkish defense minister.
Akar said during the meeting with Inad that Turkey was determined to protect its borders from “terrorist threats” and that Ankara “respects the political and territorial integrity of all its neighbors, especially Iraq”.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi also visited Turkey on December 17 at the request of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan said Ankara and Baghdad agreed to continue their cooperation in fighting Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and that they viewed the PKK as their “common enemies”.
“There is no place for separatist terrorism in Turkey, Iraq or Syria,” Erdogan said. “Our region will not find peace until terrorism is quashed.”
Kadhimi also said during his visit to Ankara that Iraq would not allow any groups to use Iraqi soil for attacks inside Turkey, and that it was cooperating with Ankara to confront terror groups.
Turkey has conducted numerous ground and aerial cross-border offensives into neighboring northern Iraq to attack PKK fighters, who maintains bases in the region.
The PKK’s insurgency against the Turkish state is believed to have killed tens of thousands of people since being launched in 1984.
*This story was updated at 12:19 p.m. EBL time
