Senior Turkish and Iraqi officials hold security talks in Baghdad
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Turkey greets the Iraqi National Security Council's decision to label the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as a "banned organization" in Iraq.
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Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein, right, shakes hands with visiting Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP)
Senior Turkish and Iraqi officials met in Baghdad on March 14 to talk about security issues, including potential measures against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Iraq, an Iraqi foreign ministry statement announced after the meeting.
The statement revealed that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and top security officials.
Turkey greeted the Iraqi National Security Council's decision to label the PKK as a "banned organization in Iraq", the statement added.
It further said that they talked over preparations for a planned visit by President Tayyip Erdogan to Baghdad, which is set to happen "after the holy month of Ramadan."
'Fight against terrorism'
Earlier on March 14, a Turkish Defense Ministry official informed reporters that Turkish and Iraqi officials would talk about "developing a common understanding on the fight against terrorism."
The Defense Ministry official added that officials from the Turkish army met with Iraqi counterparts over the weekend to go over "measures to increase the security of the civilians" in the region where Turkey is running operations.
Turkey carried out air operations on January 13, destroying 29 targets affiliated with the PKK in northern Iraq and Syria, according to the Turkish National Defense Ministry
A statement from the Turkish National Defense Ministry said air operations were conducted against targets in Iraq's Metina, Hakurk, Gara, and Qandil regions, as well as in northern Syria.
This came one day after a PKK attack in northern Iraq that claimed the lives of nine Turkish soldiers.
The PKK has been designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.
