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Erdogan Warns Shiite Militias of Intimidating Tal Afar Turkmen | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Iraqis stand in front of a banner mocking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a demonstration in Baghdad on October 8 to demand the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the Bashiqa camp in northern Iraq.


Erdogan Warns Shiite Militias of Intimidating Tal Afar Turkmen

by | Oct 31, 2016 | Middle East |

Erdogan Warns Shiite Militias of Intimidating Tal Afar Turkmen

Ankara- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that his country would respond if Iraqi Shiite militias terrorize the Iraqi town of Tal Afar.

A Turkish official, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Asharq al-Awsat that Iran is provoking Turkey through putting pressure on Iraq’s Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi government regarding rejecting the Turkish intervention in Mosul liberating battle.

Iran also pushed armed Shiite factions in Iraq to attack ISIS sites in the west of Mosul—this hints that Tal Afar might be targeted but Turkey will not stand still in this case.

Erdogan stated on Saturday in Ankara that he did not receive certain information in this regard. The Turkish President refused to provide further details on the Turkish reinforcements and the possible response of Turkish forces in case Shiite militias targeted Tal Afar.

On the same level, Turkish experts warned that the Iraqi Army and Popular Mobilization Forces are dealing with Sunni citizens as involved with ISIS, without any exceptions.

Middle East Expert Oytun Orhan said that Kurdistan administration is in a quest to seize the greatest part of the western regions of Mosul regardless of who will rule the center of Mosul. “Turkish continuous targeting of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has a negative impact on Turkey because later on it will have to expand its intelligence and air activities to limit the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) movements,” said Orhan.

“Turkey can’t depend on National Mobilization Forces that were trained in Bashiqa to defy activities of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) or Popular Mobilization Forces due to lack of experience, absence of international support and insufficient number of soldiers,” added Orhan.

The Turkish expert called on Turkey to increase support to Kurdistan through passing oil exporting pipes through Turkey besides increasing military and political support to strengthen the military capabilities of Peshmerga.