Iraq seeks diplomatic end to Turkish airstrikes: Iraqi army spokesperson

Turkish airstrikes on Sinjar were "not in the interests of anyone" and the Iraqi government is reaching out to Turkish diplomatic contacts to resolve this practice, Major General Yahya Rasoul, the spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, exclusively told The New Arab.

A Turkish drone strike at the town of Sinjar in northern Iraq on Wednesday killed a senior security leader of the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) and one of his guards. They were in their car travelling through the town at around midday.

Wednesday's attack came two days after a similar strike by Turkey killed three fighters from the YBS, including a commander, in the Sinjar region.

“Our new battle with Daesh [ISIS] is a battle of intelligence,” Yehya Rasool, Iraq’s top military spokes-person said,#ErbilForum2023 pic.twitter.com/KsZ3OowGQa

— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) March 2, 2023

The YBS is a Yazidi militia officially related to Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMF), however, they are reportedly close to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). 

"The stance of the Iraqi government regarding the Turkish airstrikes is that we are currently making diplomatic contacts with the Turkish side," Rasul told TNA after speaking on Iraq's security challenges at the Erbil Forum 2023 held in the capital city of the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

"The Turkish airstrikes on Sinjar are not in the interests of anyone. The airstrikes are against Iraqi territories and sovereignty; however, I think we can deal with numerous issues with Turkey through diplomacy," he said. 

Answering another question on the stance of the Iraqi cabinet on the Iranian Kurdish opposition parties based in the Kurdistan region, Rasul said that Iraqi border guard forces are currently patrolling Iraq's borders with neighbouring Iran and Iran.  

He did not answer whether the Iraqi government will disarm or expel Iranian Kurdish opposition parties in the Kurdistan region, saying he has "no information" on the topic.

He stressed, however, that the stance of the Iraqi government "is clear".

"Iraq does not accept launching any threats by anyone against neighbouring countries [referring to Iran and Turkey]. At the same time, the Iraqi cabinet does not accept breaches to Iraq's sovereignty from any state," he added.