The organic ties between the Iraqi Turkmen Front and the Turkish state is no secret. Ershad Salihi is the head of this organization who is known for his animosity against Kurds, while Ali Mehdi is the spokesperson. Many documents have surfaced to date about the ITF’s relationship with the Turkish state’s governing coalition of the AKP-MHP.

Most recently, a company called the Defense Co. was founded on Ankara’s demand. According to PUK MP Shiwan Dawudi, some 600 people made to look like employees of this company were armed and formed into a gang group, whose salaries are paid by the Turkish state. Dawudi has also published documents on this matter.

During the Eid Al Fitr, Turkey’s Ambassador to Kirkuk Fatih Yildiz did the Eid prayer in Kirkuk and called the city their “ancestral land”, once again exposing their intentions for the strategic location.

SHEREF HARUN’S STATEMENTS

ITF administrator Sheref Harun made recent statements about the ITF Spokesperson Ali Mehdi. Harun said Turkey sent 22 million dollars so they can achieve a good result in Kirkuk as the ITF and that only 2 million out of this money was spent for the elections. Harun said the rest was spent by Ali Mehdi and his circle.

These comments by Harun exposed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the AKP sent money to the ITF to influence the Iraqi elections, while also constituting an admission that Erdoğan wants to intervene with Iraq and Kirkuk through political means using money, as well as with armed groups.

MEHDI ADMITS THAT THEY WERE SENT MONEY

These admissions came at a time when ITF administrators were accusing each other of corruption. ITF Spokesperson Ali Mehdi, accused of corruption by Harun, said Erdoğan did send them money but there was no corruption, and that the allegations are just claims by Sheref Harun.

In footage acquired by the ANF, Ali Mehdi is seen going to his house in the Birlik neighborhood of Ankara. Mehdi is cut off by a man and asked about Sheref Harun’s allegations.

Ali Mehdi tells the man he won’t answer any questions at first, and when the man insists, he says the allegations are false and he came from Iraq ten days ago, having achieved success in the elections.

The man who asks the questions insistently says Mehdi has been in Ankara for two months and that he has spent the money in the house in the Birlik neighborhood, that he has been involved in corruption. When the man asks Mehdi over and over again why he didn’t go to the Turkmen association, Mehdi answers with insults. Mehdi admits that Erdoğan and the AKP sent them 22 million dollars but refuses that he was involved in corruption.

This emerging information points to Erdoğan and the AKP committing crimes to form paramilitary forces to intervene in Kirkuk and to interfere with the Iraqi elections.

GANGS FORMED WITH THE MONEY

A Shia Turkmen from Kirkuk who wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons said the Turkish state sent large amounts of weapons and ammunition as well as money to Kirkuk to form armed groups.

The source said most of the money was distributed among the administrators and that another significant portion of the money went to an armed group called Suxur Helo Kirkuk, the Kirkuk Hawks, formed by Ershad Salihi. Most of the money was used to pay the salaries of these people. The Kirkuk Hawks stand out as the second armed gang group formed in Kirkuk by Ershad Salihi that has been exposed.