Shocking statistics and facts about Turkey’s presence in Iraq

According to Fars News Agency’s International Service, in recent years, debates in Iraqi political circles as well as in foreign circles about Turkey’s presence in northern Iraq and Ankara’s justifications for the reason for its presence, the number of troops stationed and the purpose of their presence have intensified.

Network news site «المیادینIn a recent report, he wrote: “Looking at the big picture, we can identify a set of goals for Turkey’s presence in the security, military, political and social dimensions, some of which have been explicitly stated and confirmed by Ankara itself, and others. Friends, allies, rivals and enemies of this country.

Turkey’s goals in Iraq

Al-Mayadin went on to describe Ankara’s intentions on Iraqi soil: “Protection of Turkish national security by [شاخه] Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Turks are under threat; The party, most of whose military establishment has been based in the Kandil Mountains in the border triangle of Iraq, Turkey and Iran for the past three decades. This area is the main starting point of the party’s military operations in geographical depth [خاک] “It is Turkey that the PKK uses a set of geographical, technical, logistical and political factors and conditions for this purpose.”

“As much as the Labor Party [کردستان] It is developing and expanding, and Turkey is trying to expand its presence so that it extends far beyond the border areas. Even this presence is not limited to the military dimension and has reached the borders of Nineveh province. Presence [ترکیه در عراق] Formed in the form of large bases; “Bases that house thousands of soldiers, all kinds of weapons and advanced military equipment, such as the Zelikan base in the city of Ba’ashiqa in the province of Nineveh.”

Al-Mayadin described Turkey’s second goal as follows: “Efforts to revive the Ottoman Empire after the end “100 years since its collapse and decline” and continued: “Signs of this [هدف] With comprehensive development policies [آنکارا] it’s on. “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pursuing these policies, and Turkish political circles and the media are widely promoting them.”

“While Erdogan emphasizes that Ankara has no development aspirations in the region, the country continues its efforts to develop and dominate each by land and sea,” the Lebanese news site continued. The “Blue Homeland” project itself is a clear indication that it seeks “the exclusive domination of the economy in the waters of the adjacent regions and the continental shelf of the eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Aegean Seas.”

The network added: “It is constantly repeated in many circles in Turkey that President Erdogan has made this plan one of his foreign policy priorities, especially after the failed 2016 coup. A researcher at the Turkish Center for Applied Research in Berlin, Germany, referred to the issue and said: “The concept of the blue homeland was introduced only after the coup attempt against Erdogan’s government in 2016, as he tended to form a political alliance with nationalists. “Foreign policy became more hostile, following which Turkish armed forces entered the conflict from northern Iraq to Libya.”

The Lebanese network stated the third goal of Turkey as follows: “Protection of the Iraqi Turkmen, whose center of social gravity is located in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk; Oil over which Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen are at loggerheads. “Ankara believes this goal is justified.”

According to the report, “the Turkish government does not hesitate to make a clear statement on this issue, and beyond that, it considers itself morally and humanely responsible for supporting the Turkmen people.” Al-Mayadin added: “In mid-July 2021, the Turkish ambassador to Kirkuk, Reza Gunay, made it clear during his visit to Kirkuk:” The Iraqi city of Kirkuk is Turkmen and this country (Turkey) is taking care of this city and intends to continue supporting the Turkmen. The resident has it. He also called them “Iraqi Turks and relatives.”

Ankara’s next goal was: “Achieving superiority in the Middle East region in a way that allows Turkey to be an effective international player, not only in regional equations but also in international equations.” This goal is consistent with the ideal of reviving the aspirations of the Ottoman Empire. “The sharp differences and clashes between Ankara and some Arab governments and regions such as Cairo, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi may in any way reflect the nature of Turkey’s growing ambitions and its apparent desire for development, domination and influence everywhere.”

Al-Mayadin added: “In addition, the establishment of the Organization of Turkish States in 2009 as a regional economic coalition with the participation of a group of Turkish-speaking countries and under Turkish supervision and nobility also reflects a corner of Turkey’s ambitions and ambitions and tendencies.” . Turkish decision-makers and strategists know that Turkey can not consolidate its presence and impose that influential role and dominance in the region and the world without gaining much hegemony in neighboring countries; “Especially in those countries that are struggling with political, security and economic turmoil.”

“There is no doubt that Iraq is at the top of the list of countries in which Turkey aims to expand its presence, as it has many factors, conditions, historical, geographical, political and social motivations. “He finds some kind of helper.”

In another part of the report, referring to the concerns of friends and enemies of Turkey about the expansion of the presence of Turkish forces in Iraq, it is stated: In the Kurdistan region of Iraq, there are these bases and camps in the areas of “Bamarni”, “Shiladzi”, “Batofan”, “Kani Masi”, “Kiribz”, “Sanki”, “Siri”, “Kubaki”, “Kumari”, ” “Kokhi Sabi”, “Siri Zir”, “Wadi Zakho” and “Al-Emadia” are located “.

Al-Mayadin added: “In 2015, about a year after the ISIS terrorist organization occupied some Iraqi cities, Turkey reportedly renovated new camps in the cities of Ba’ashiqa, Soran, Qala-e-Golan and Zamar, as well as He turned his camps into a military base in the Harir area, south of Erbil, and at the same time built a “Sidkan” base. It also established several headquarters in the towns of Diana and Juman, near the Kandil Mountains, to consolidate its dominance in the Khanir, Khavork, and Kilashin districts, and thus to the party’s organizational positions. “Let the workers of Kurdistan get closer.”

According to the report, “the number of Turkish troops (officers and soldiers) stationed in these bases and camps is estimated at more than 7,000 troops, who are moving in an area of ​​about 100 kilometers deep in Iraq. “In addition to military bases and headquarters, the Turkish Intelligence Service (MIT) operates on a large scale in the Kurdistan Region, and according to reports, the Turkish intelligence service has four main bases in Emadia, Matifa, Zakho and Karabasi in downtown Duhok.”

Al-Mayadin continued: “The mission of the intelligence services is diverse, so that these missions are not limited to supporting and strengthening military action against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, but also include action on some political and non-political issues. At the same time, the organization enjoys positive relations with some Iraqi, Kurdish, Turkmen, and Arab groups, parties, and personalities. Because Ankara believes that the economy is one of the most important and significant pillars and bases for the development of the scope of presence and expansion, it has not only limited its military and intelligence presence in Iraq but also strengthened it with its economic presence in the field of oil investments. “Several of the country’s oil companies operate in eight fields in the Kurdistan region.”

Referring to its activities with some Turkish oil companies in the Kurdistan Region, the Lebanese network added that dozens of companies active in the construction, food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as electricity, clothing and electronic technologies, were present alongside Turkish banks and exchange companies in Iraq. have.

The report concludes: “It is natural that all these military, intelligence and economic weights of Turkey could directly and indirectly spread to the political arena and then to Ankara in order to influence the construction of the Iraqi political equation at the macro level. The regional equations provided a large margin. “Signs of this influence have become more apparent in the last few months, especially in the parliamentary election movements and in the formation of the new Iraqi government.”

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