HDP deputies speak about visit to Iraq amid Turkey's military offensive

Temelli, Salih and Uca (Photo: HDP)

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Chair of the Foreign Relations Commission Feleknas Uca and Van Deputy Sezai Temelli held talks in Iraq as Turkey's military offensive continues in the country's Kurdistan Region.

During a three-day visit that began on May 12, the two MPs visited President Berhem Salih, Iraqi politicians, representatives of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Yazidi community.

Uca said they prefer dialogue over the attacks against their party and Turkey's cross-border operations and visited Iraq to talk about these issues.

"It is very important for us to hold talks at this level in such a period. We think that these talks are an important message for the solution to the problems in the region through dialogue and peace. As HDP, we will continue our peace talks," she said.

Turkey on April 18 launched the "Operation Claw-Lock," the latest in a series of military offensives that has targeted the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Iraq's Kurdistan Region since May 2019. The Baghdad government has verbally opposed the incursion.

Situation in Shengal

About Shengal, a mountainous region that Turkey considers a crucial area where the presence of the PKK needs to be eliminated, Uca said, "We will continue our struggle against war and disintegration. Everyone agreed on the issue of Shengal and that war will not solve the problems. They said that these problems should be solved through dialogue. We think that these talks are very valuable and we are sure that there will be a positive outcome from these talks."

About the MPs meeting with Salih, Temelli said, "He stated that Turkey and the imperialist powers should be dealt with as a destabilizing force in the region. He also added that Turkey started this operation in pursuit of global financial policies." (VK)