Turkish Defence Minister and Chief of General Staff visit Baghdad and Hewlêr

Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff Metin Gürak are on a state visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The Turkish delegation met with the Barzanîs in Hewlêr.

Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff Metin Gürak are on a state visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. On Tuesday, the Turkish delegation held talks with President Abdul Latif Rashid, Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani and the Iraqi defence and interior ministers. According to the Iraqi President's office, Rashid called for an end to the Turkish attacks in Iraq and spoke out in favour of solving the existing problems through dialogue. The Prime Minister's office expressed a similar view. According to the statement, al-Sudani criticised Turkey's violation of Iraqi sovereignty.

After the talks in Baghdad, the Turkish delegation travelled on to Hewlêr (Erbil) to meet with the Barzanîs in the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The first meeting took place with KRI President Nechirvan Barzani, the second with Prime Minister Masrour Barzan. Next on the agenda is a meeting with KDP Leader Massoud Barzani.

According to the KRI President, mutual relations, security in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and developments in the Middle East were discussed. The importance of cooperation for peace and cooperation in the region and the security of the common border were emphasised. Another topic was the fight against terrorism.

Undersecretary of National Intelligence Organisation (MİT) İbrahim Kalın visited Iraq on 22 January 2024 and met with the Iraqi President and many Iraqi officials.

Kalın then went to Hewlêr and met with KDP leader Massoud Barzani on 28 January.