Kurtulmuş: Our Presence in Bashiqa Cannot Be Opposed While Iraq is This Fragmented

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Speaking at opening ceremony of service building of the Green Crescent Consultancy Center (YEDAM) in İstanbul’s Cerrahpaşa neighborhood, Vice Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş has responded to Iraq’s decision about Bashiqa.

Presence of Turkey in Bashiqa camp near Mosul is a necessity that has emerged following existence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Kurtulmuş said.

Iraqi Council of Representatives decided that “Turkey is considered ‘invasive force’ and do what is necessary to take Turkey out of the Iraqi lands”.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had sent troops to Bashiqa on December 5, 2015. Iraq’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim al-Jafaari had said that they would have to consider military operation in case Turkey doesn’t withdraw its troops.

“Barzani government had asked for support”

“Turkey is ready for all sorts of cooperation with Iraqi central government to have Iraq cleansed of terror organizations. If we are to work together, [we have to discuss] how we will cleanse Mosul of DAEŞ [ISIS] and other terror organizations…

“We are ready to cooperate with Iraqi government on such issues but no one has the right to oppose presence of Turkish army, which is deployed there as an element of stability, while Iraq is fragmented this much.

“It is obvious that Barzani government asked help of Turkish forces for especially training of local forces to save Mosul, that is why this matter is not open to discussion”. (AS/TK)