Turkish, Iraqi officials hold border security meeting in northern Iraq

Turkish and Iraqi officials on Sunday have held a border security meeting in northern Iraq, the Turkish National Defence Ministry announced.

At the meeting, the security of the Türkiye-Iraq border line, and measures to increase the security of Iraqi citizens were discussed, according to the statement shared on Tuesday.

Türkiye’s National Defence Minister Yasar Guler, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalin held a closed-door meeting Monday in the capital Ankara.

The meeting came after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated that Türkiye is resolute in its fight against terrorism.

"As we have openly told them in person, we call on all in the region to respect this security strategy of ours. Otherwise, they themselves will be the reason for potential tensions. We have preparations that will cause new nightmares to those who assume they can bring Türkiye to its knees by establishing a ‘terroristan’ along our southern borders," Erdogan warned.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to target the PKK terror organisation's hideouts in Iraq's northern Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border.

Erdogan's expected visit to Iraq

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to visit Iraq before the end of April.

“The visit will be before the end of April according to the planning and preparations,” Ahmet Yildiz, Turkish deputy foreign minister on Tuesday told Anadolu Agency in Baghdad.

Yildiz said Erdogan’s last visit to Baghdad took place in 2012 when he served as a prime minister.

Yildiz, on a visit to Iraq, added that he will have meetings with officials at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry and review the relations. “We will make preparations for the ministerial meeting to be held in the future and the visit of our president,” he said.

Referring to the Development Road Project, he said corridors and development paths are the basic elements of development.

These roads provide connectivity, bring vitality to the economy, and provide trust between countries, he said, adding: "Both countries are very eager and we think that if it is done, it will bring benefits that cannot be compared to the cost."