Latest news with #PKK
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Turkish artillery causes large wildfire in Iraq's Duhok
Shafaq News/ A Turkish artillery strike on Friday ignited a large wildfire in Duhok province, northern Iraq. Local sources confirmed the destruction of hundreds of dunams in Duhok's Mount Gara, burning farmland and forested areas near suspected Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) positions, while firefighting efforts were hampered by persistent security challenges. Turkish bombardment across the Metina (Matin) and Gara mountain ranges has continued for several days, sparking multiple fires and causing widespread agricultural damage. Thousands of dunams of cultivated land and orchards have reportedly been destroyed. Crops including grapes, walnuts, almonds, and sumac suffered extensive losses, dealing a serious economic blow to rural communities that rely on seasonal harvests for income. According to the Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), Turkish military operations in Iraqi Kurdistan escalated sharply in May—rising 143% compared to April—despite the PKK's formal dissolution announcement.
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
The Turkish public asks: After Israel's attack on Iran, are we next?
A day before Israel attacked Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at the Knesset, welcoming Argentinian President Javier Milei with open arms. "Argentina became a safe haven for thousands of Jews," Milei told Israeli politicians. "They sought refuge from economic hardship and antisemitic persecution. Not only in Eastern Europe, but also in the Ottoman Empire. "An empire that I don't think will be renewed anytime soon, even though there are those who disagree with me." The remarks, which were clearly directed at Turkey and its long-serving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were not lost on officials in Ankara. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters A burgeoning regional power, Turkey has played an outsized role in the Middle East since the so-called Arab Spring uprisings of the 2010s. Amid the new power dynamic that has taken shape in the region, Ankara has seen its stock increase in major western capitals. Such has been its rise that on Thursday, Turkey was among a small group of US allies notified in advance that Israel would be launching its attack on Iran. Hours later, early on Friday, Israel began its assault on Iran's military and nuclear facilities, and started assassinating high-profile security, intelligence and military commanders, along with nuclear scientists. The attacks, which also targeted residential areas and civilian infrastructure, have so far killed more than 500 people and wounded at least 1,300, many of them civilians. In response, Iran has fired barrages of missiles towards Haifa, Tel Aviv and other major Israeli cities. Turkey has lamented the escalation, describing Israel's assault as unprovoked, especially at a time when US intelligence suggested Iran was not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon. While the escalation has been characterised as sudden, and one that has caught many regional states by surprise, Ankara was long bracing for an Israeli attack on Iran. In September, when Israel killed Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, Turkish officials studied possible scenarios in the event of a severe Israeli attack and a potential wider regional conflict. They prepared contingency plans, including measures against possible waves of refugees. In October, Ankara also initiated negotiations with the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, to prevent the group from being used as a proxy by either Iran or Israel. Israel-Turkey relations Turkey has historically maintained good ties with Israel, despite ups and downs due to Israel's wars with the region's countries. Turkey was the first Muslim country to recognise Israel, in 1949, and gradually became an ally of Tel Aviv in the 1990s, when the Turkish security apparatus needed its help to counter the PKK during a period of domestic instability. Since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took power in 2003, the relationship has gradually deteriorated from a strategic partnership to that of neighbours who frequently confront each other over the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere. 'This isn't Turkey's war. Yet it shows that we should… take relevant steps to prepare us for any possible future risk and options' - Ankara insider Relations soured after Israel raided the Mavi Marmara ferry in 2010, killing 10 Turkish activists in international waters, but they later improved. But tensions heightened again in late 2023 when Ankara decided to walk back from the rapprochement due to the war on Gaza, which Turkish officials believe constitutes a genocide. Since Israel's campaigns to degrade Hezbollah last year and the fall of the Assad dynasty in Syria, the region has been transformed by Netanyahu's actions. Where Iran once dominated, Israel is now increasingly the key regional power. Israeli officials have publicly begun to state that the only other player with significant resources they face is Turkey. How Turkey and Qatar are playing an outsized role in Trump's new Middle East Read More » Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has reiterated several times since December that the region should not be dominated by any single power, including Turkey itself. The first significant challenge between Turkey and Israel was Syria, as Netanyahu's government made sure to oppose any Turkish bases with radar and air defence installations in southern Syria. American officials, worried about possible incidents, encouraged both countries to hold talks, resulting in the establishment of a hotline between Turkey and Israel in April. Talks progressed to the point where Turkish officials included Syrian representatives in discussions with the Israelis, in the hope of finding a middle ground to stop Israeli attacks on Syrian territory. The main issue was control of Syrian airspace. Ankara delayed its plans to quickly take control of the bases until the deconfliction talks with Israel were completed, effectively later giving Israel a window of opportunity to attack Iran. For the Turks, this did not involve Turkish airspace. Turkish officials advised Israel to address its concerns over the airspace issues directly with Syria rather than Ankara. Missile programme accelerating For decades, Turkey has viewed Iran as a destabilising force and opposed Tehran's ambitions to obtain a nuclear weapon. However, Israel's unilateral attack on Iran, which has failed to provide convincing evidence that Tehran is close to developing one, was seen by the Turkish public as a sign that Israel could one day target Turkey, a Nato ally deeply integrated into the western security architecture. This sense of threat was echoed by the head of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahçeli, a key ally of Erdogan. On Tuesday, Bahçeli warned that Israel's military campaign against Iran is part of a broader strategy to encircle Turkey and undermine its regional ambitions. "The political and strategic goal of Israel is clear," he said. "To surround Anatolia and sabotage Turkey's path toward a terrorism-free future on behalf of its masters." To reassure the Turkish public, officials began leaking certain details to the media. By allowing Israel to bomb Iran, Trump is pushing Tehran to go nuclear Read More » One Turkish columnist claimed that on the night of the initial attack, Turkish radars detected Israeli F-35s, prompting Turkey to scramble F-16s and AWACS early-warning aircraft to track the Israeli operation. Another columnist claimed that some of the Israeli jets that took off for the attack unintentionally violated Turkish airspace on the same night, and left rapidly after Turkey scrambled F-16s and warned them by radio. "This isn't Turkey's war," said one Ankara insider close to the government. "Yet it shows that we should study this attack in depth and take relevant steps to prepare us for any possible future risk and options." High-ranking Turkish officials held two rounds of security meetings to discuss further contingency plans. The Turkish military has also closely studied the war tactics employed by Israel. Erdogan himself responded to the attack by calling regional leaders, and US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. He also made specific calls to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, both of whom lead Turkey's land neighbours. Turkish readouts suggest Erdogan specifically advised them not to get involved in the recent escalation between Israel and Iran. On Monday, Erdogan said that Turkey was accelerating its medium- and long-range ballistic missile programme and deepening its deterrence to make Turkey a country no one would dare to defy. He vowed on Wednesday that Turkey would make its defence industry completely independent. He later shared his speech on X, featuring the Ottoman Imperial seal, as Netanyahu referenced last week. "The victorious army of the Ottoman Empire had a principle," Erdogan said. "If you want independence, if you want freedom, if you want to live on this land with your honour, dignity, and integrity, if you want economic prosperity, if you want abundance, wealth, and harmony, if you want peace, you must always be ready for war."
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Turkish artillery pounds northern Duhok, ignites fires in farmlands
Shafaq News/ Turkish artillery carried out more than 40 strikes on Wednesday in Duhok province, the Kurdistan Region, targeting areas in al-Amadiyah district. Local eyewitnesses told Shafaq News that the bombardment reportedly hit near Harika village on Mount Gara's foothills and around Koherzi village on the slopes of Mount Matin. The intense shelling sparked fires across farmland and forested areas. There were no immediate reports of casualties, but the strikes have raised fresh concerns about environmental damage and civilian safety in border areas frequently hit during Turkish military operations against PKK positions.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Turkiye delays Baghdad visit amid regional war
Shafaq News/ A planned visit by a high-level Turkish delegation to Baghdad has been postponed due to escalating military tensions between Iran and Israel, a senior source revealed on Wednesday. The delegation, led by the head of Turkiye's Council of Higher Education and comprising several ministers, was scheduled to hold talks on key bilateral files. However, the source told Shafaq News that the visit was delayed indefinitely 'due to the ongoing war and the unstable regional security conditions caused by the exchange of missile and air strikes.' According to the source, the agenda was set to include discussions on regional security in Syria, the status of PKK militants, the resumption of oil exports through the Ceyhan pipeline, and a settlement to the $1.5 billion arbitration fine Turkiye owes Iraq over unauthorized crude exports from the Kurdistan Region. Economic cooperation was also on the table, with both sides expected to explore new trade arrangements and mechanisms to resume stalled oil flows. The suspended pipeline, halted in March 2023 after the arbitration ruling, had previously transported up to 500,000 barrels per day from Iraq's northern fields—including those in the Kurdistan Region. The postponed talks come just days after reports surfaced on June 12 confirming the impending Turkish visit. It was seen as a follow-up to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's May 8 visit to Ankara, during which he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and signed 10 memoranda of understanding covering energy, trade, investment, and security cooperation. The diplomatic setback comes at a time when both Baghdad and Ankara have expressed interest in revitalizing trade relations, with bilateral trade reaching nearly $13 billion in 2024 and projected to rise in 2025.
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Jailed PKK leader Ocalan needs outside contact to dissolve group, pro-Kurdish politicians say
The jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan needs better communication with the outside world to manage the militant group's proposed disarmament and political transition, pro-Kurdish leaders in Turkey have said. "Mr Ocalan will personally lead this disarmament process," Tulay Hatimogullari, co-chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, said in Istanbul on Wednesday. "Therefore, for him to work more comfortably on this matter, he wants to hold meetings with many groups in Turkey, the Middle East, Europe – in short, all over the world." Ocalan, whose group is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and the US, called on PKK members in February to lay down their arms and for the group to be dissolved. His call came after a months-long process initiated by an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the ultranationalist politician Devlet Bahceli, to offer greater freedom for Ocalan in exchange for the PKK's dissolution. Ocalan intends to transform the PKK into a political party based on 'political internationalism', Ms Hatimogullari said. 'After the weapons are laid down, how will the PKK cadres take on roles and missions in this regard? she said. "To discuss all of this and consult with others, it is necessary for him [Ocalan] to meet with everyone. We can evaluate this as a first step.' Ocalan also wants to meet leaders in Iraq and Syria, both of which have large Kurdish populations with varying degrees of autonomous governance, she said. "He wants to meet both with representatives of the autonomous administration in northern and eastern Syria, and with representatives of the Damascus government. The same goes for Iraq and many other countries." Kurdish politicians, who distinguish themselves from the PKK, are pushing for Turkey's government to move faster in what they describe as a democratisation process aimed at peace. The Turkish government has framed it as an exercise in achieving a 'terror-free Turkey', following more than four decades of conflict with the Kurdish militant group. 'The fact that it is progressing slowly does not mean that it is deadlocked. I think it needs to be accelerated,' Ms Hatimogullari said. Broadly, Kurdish politicians are calling for better prison conditions for Ocalan, who has been incarcerated on a remote island in the Sea of Marmara, south of Istanbul, since 1999. They want the formation of a parliamentary commission to solidify the process in law and to make recommendations for amendments to anti-terrorism legislation. They also want greater rights to use the Kurdish language and an end to curbs on Kurdish political activity. Government officials have said little about how the PKK's dissolution and disarmament will be managed and it is unclear to what extent they are willing to meet the DEM party's expectations. The government seeks co-ordination with other parties for the process to succeed, Mr Erdogan said on Wednesday. 'We need co-operation and the development of the spirit of working together to easily reach the goal of a terror-free Turkey, whose strategic importance is understood,' he told MPs in Ankara. The parliamentary commission needs to be functional, effective and results-driven, DEM co-chairman Tuncer Bakirhan said. The conflict between Iran and Israel adds more urgency, as Turkey needs to maximise its stability in the face of regional hostilities, he added. The commission "must not just engage in debate; it should provide legal proposals to the parliament ... and ensure successful progress on this issue", he said. The DEM is pushing for the commission to start work before the Turkish parliament's summer break, he added. The PKK agreed to heed Ocalan's call and disband last month. Yet the process of laying down weapons and deciding the fate of its fighters is complex. The PKK has conditioned laying down their weapons on 'freedom' for Ocalan and are in contact with the Turkish government over the disarmament process, Ms Hatimogullari said. Whether that means his release or the ability to hold consultations on the process from prison has not yet been established. 'Of course, the warring sides are already in contact with each other – this is happening outside the DEM party, outside of democratic politics,' she said. "Our view is that if steps are taken in this regard, the disarmament process will gain momentum very quickly. But as for how the dialogue between them will evolve in the upcoming period – we cannot predict that.' The government has not confirmed it is in talks with the PKK over the disarmament. Turkish intelligence services would 'closely monitor whether promises are kept' around dissolution, Mr Erdogan said last month. Releasing Ocalan would be politically difficult for the Turkish government: the conflict with the PKK has killed 40,000 people across both sides, and the release of the man heading the group that forms Turkey's number one national security issue would be unpopular. DEM officials, who have been allowed to visit Ocalan several times in recent months, said his overall prison conditions have not changed, but he now spends less time in solitary confinement. He is able to meet up to three other prisoners, chosen by him and his lawyers, to hold 'study groups', said Ms Hatimogullari. "He is in quite good spirits."
