Turkish assistance to Iraq Kurds

The Iraqi government demanded that Turkey bring their troops, which entered the country and settled in a military camp in the vicinity of the city of Mosul, captured by the militants of the Islamic State (grouping is prohibited in the Russian Federation). On Iraqi television, they say about the “invasion”, Ankara claims that the military entered the territory of Iraq to train the Kurdish detachments of “Peshmerga”, who are howling against the Islamists.

According to the statement , published by the press service of the Iraq government, one regiment of Turkish soldiers invaded the province of Ninevia with the support of tanks and artillery. According to the report, Türkiye did not send a preliminary request to the federal authorities of Iraq, in connection with which the actions of the Turkish military are considered as a “serious violation of the sovereignty” of the country.

Previously, there was a discussion about the deployment of foreign troops in the country with the United States. The latter announced their intention to place fighters of American special forces in Iraq. The Iraqi government replied that they were welcoming foreign assistance, but the deployment of special operation forces in any place in the country should be agreed with the authorities. Prime Minister Hyder al-Abadi emphasized that the inconsistent deployment of foreign combat units will be regarded as an “act of aggression”.

The Iraq Foreign Ministry, whose statement was read out on state television, qualified the incident in the north of the country as an “invasion”. Baghdad rejects the possibility of a military operation in the country without coordination with the federal government.

“Iraq authorities urge Turkey to respect good neighborly relations and immediately withdraw troops from Iraqi territory,” the report said.

BBC , citing the military command of Turkey, reports that 150 military personnel were crossed the border with Iraq and were located ten kilometers from the city of Mosul. According to Anatolia Agency News , the infantry is supported by 20-25 tanks.

The information that several hundred Turkish soldiers were located near Mosul Reuters confirmed sources in Turkish power structures. The exact number of the military is not called. The interlocutor of the agency added that the battalion was transferred to the Bashik Mountain region to the north-east of Mosul for the military training of Iraqi troops.

Another high -ranking Turkish official said that the soldiers were transferred as part of the operation against IG. In the north of Iraq, they will train fighters from the Peshmerga detachments. The Kurdish officer, who is located on the front line, confirmed the agency that Turkish instructors arrived at the camp at night, accompanied by equipment. The BBC notes that the newcomers should change a group of military personnel who were sent to the region two years ago to help in the training of Kurdish militias.

The Pentagon said that they know about the transfer of Turkish troops to the north of Iraq. It is emphasized that this operation is not carried out as part of the actions of the international coalition, conducting the struggle against the IG.

A large military camp is located in Bashik, in which Hashid Vatani units are deployed (national mobilization). They were formed by the former governor of Mosul Atil al-Nujafi, who have close ties with Turkey. Hashid Vatan consists mainly of the Arabs-Sunnis-former Iraqi police officers and volunteers from Mosul. Before the current diplomatic discussion, several Turkish military instructors were in the camp.

The interaction of Turkey with the Kurds should not surprise. If the Turkish authorities are conducting an irreconcilable struggle with the Syrian Kurds, then a rather trusting relationship has developed with the Iraqi Kurds. A couple of days ago, representatives of the Iraqi Kurdistan said that Russia unfounded Turkey of importance of oil produced in the territories controlled by IS. According to the head of the oil and gas commission of the Kurdish autonomy Sherko Dzhevdet, tankers transporting oil from Kurdistan to the Turkish Port Jaikhan are captured in the pictures from the cosmos demonstrated by Russia.

In October, Iraqi Kurds said that they were ready to start the assault on Mosul. “We are ready. All that is needed is the order. We hold terrorists in tension with the help of small operations and seize some and positions, ”said Colonel of Kurdish militias. For the attack on Mosul in the north of Iraq, the Peshmerga detachments, as well as the Arab units of the Iraqi army, are grouped.

IG militants captured Mosul in 2014. This is one of the largest cities in Iraq. About a million people - Kurds and Arabs lived in it, most of the inhabitants after the Islamist invasion remained in the city. From the moment of capture, only according to official figures, Islamists executed more than a thousand people.

When exactly the attack on Mosul will begin, it is unknown. Previously, it was postponed due to the fact that Kurdish militias and Iraqi military were involved in military operations on other fronts. The UN is afraid that the attack on Mosul will entail another wave of refugees that will pour in Iraq, which will further strengthen the humanitarian crisis in this country.