Turkey supports Iraq’s acts in Kirkuk: PM

Addressing the operation launched in Kirkuk after the illegitimate referendum held by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Sept. 25, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said that Turkey supports Iraq’s acts in Kirkuk.

Yıldırım, during a speech at the TRT World Forum held in Istanbul on Wednesday, said Turkey’s stance on the issue of Iraq is clear. He said that his country attaches great importance to Iraq’s territorial unity.

“A referendum which clearly violates the Iraqi constitution was held. Turkey has certain steps to take and we are gradually implementing them.”

He added that Turkey expects the central Iraqi government to show necessary sensitivity in restoring the demographic structure of the regions recaptured by Iraq, which was forcibly altered by the KRG.

Turkmens and Arabs are demanding to return to the pre-2005 situation in Kirkuk and to create a structure that fairly represents all ethnicities with a centralized management model. Kirkuk’s 2005 population of 840,000 was raised to 1,600,000 by Kurds strategically positioned in the city to alter its demographics.

On Monday, Iraqi forces captured the oil-rich Kirkuk city, three weeks after the KRG held a referendum on the secession of northern Iraq’s Kurdish region.

Addressing the Idlib operation, the prime minister said that Turkey has always supported Syrian refugees by opening its doors to them and has strived for the resolution of the dispute adding that “there are now more than 3 million refugees in Turkey.”

“We initiated the Astana process as Turkey, Iran and Russia and initiated efforts to establish a security cordon to ensure security and end conflicts in Idlib.”

Yıldırım expressed his condolences for the victims of the terror attack that occurred on Saturday in Somalia, killing more than 300 people and injuring at least 400 others.

“I strongly condemn this cowardly terror attack,” he said.