While the Turkish state is expanding its occupation attacks in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) in cooperation with the ruling KDP party, several Iraqi tribes expressed their reaction against the occupation and announced their support for the PKK.

The tribes pointed out that the Turkish state threatens the people in order to turn the region into a military zone with baseless allegations.

The statement released by the tribes read as follows: "We know that the PKK has been fighting against ISIS while Turkey has been supporting ISIS. The Turkish state is carrying out attacks against all Iraqi peoples, especially Kurds, in order to occupy the region. The KDP is co-operating with the Turkish state, while the Baghdad government maintains its silence. This silence raises questions about the crimes of the occupying Turkish state.

As Iraqi tribal leaders and sheikhs, we condemn these attacks and call on the international community, the Iraqi government and the Iraqi parliament to fulfill their humanitarian, moral and legal responsibilities against these crimes and to stop these attacks by the occupying Turkish state.

The international community and the Iraqi government must take the necessary measures to stop these attacks on our people and our lands. We are ready to protect Iraq's sovereignty. The Turkish state wants to change the demography of the region and plunder Iraq's resources.

We stand with our people in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. We reject the occupation of the Turkish state. We declare once again that all the actions of the Turkish state are criminal offences. The actions of the Turkish state strengthen our will to defend the sovereignty of Iraqi territory, our land and our people."

The signatories are as follows:

Leader of the Jiburi Tribe, Şêx Teklif el-Ebd Alî Cibur

Leader of the Sedat Haydari Tribe, Seyid Ahmet Allavi Haydari

Leader of the Sedat Şerfa Tribe in the Central Euphrates, Seyit Nazım Şerifi

Leader of the İfari Tribe in the Central Euphrates, Şêx Malik Casım İfari

Seyit Gazali Atiya Musewi

Leader of the Kerit Tribe, Şêx Zahir Kazım Marhun

Leader of the Hamidat Tribe, Şêx Cemal Ferit Hamidayi

Leader of the Beni Hasan Tribe, Şêx Emir Musena Hasnevi

Leader of the El-Şibl Tribe, Şêx Mohan Al-Atiyah

Leader of the Sedat Gawalb Tribe, Seyit Hüseyin Berekat Şami

Leader of the Şemer Tribes in Central Euphrates, Şêx Mutaib Muhammed Şemeri

Leader of the Akra Tribe, Şêx Muhammed Abdulemir Şalan Keravi

Leader of the Xefaciyan Tribe in Najaf, Şêx Raad Hüseyin Hafaci

Leader of the Şebal Tribe in Divaniyah, Şêx Halit Cehl Natur

Leader of the Awabd Tribe in Divaniyah, Seyid Hamid Merzuq Abadi