Kirkuk Shines Spotlight On Turkey’s Iraq Policy
The recent terrorist bombings in Kirkuk have highlighted Turkey’s interest in protecting the Turkmen community there, while its strong relations with the Kurdistan Regional Government strain its ties with Baghdad, writes Ilnur Cevik.
Turkish authorities fear that three deadly bomb attacks in Kirkuk and Tuz Khurmatu in the past month aim to further fuel the tensions between Iraqi Arabs and Kurds and push the country into chaos and disruption, creating a new source of instability at Turkey’s doorstep.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry was quick to strongly condemn the latest bomb attack on the police headquarters in Kirkuk on Feb. 3, which left 36 dead and 105 wounded, saying, “The instigators of these attacks aim to create friction among the Iraqi people in Kirkuk and Tuz Khurmatu, where different ethnic and religious groups live. We believe the Iraqi people will stand firm against these dark scenerios in Iraq.”
In a concilitary tone intended to ease Ankara’s chilly relations with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the Foreign Ministry statement called Iraq “a friend and ally” and offered to “provide all kinds of support healing the wounds caused by terrorism.”
Al-Monitor learned that Turkish authorities informed their Iraqi Arab and Kurdish counterparts that Turkey is willing to ship those wounded in the Kirkuk attack toTurkish hospitals for treatment.
