ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey’s foreign ministry on Saturday condemned the deaths of two Iraqi border guards in Duhok province the day before and joined Baghdad in blaming the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
“We are deeply saddened by the deaths of two border guards from the Iraqi Border Forces Command as a result of the attack carried out by the PKK terrorist organization in Duhok yesterday (January 24),” Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli wrote on X.
“It is clear that the PKK terrorist organization poses a threat to the national security of Turkey and Iraq and violates Iraq's sovereignty. This latest attack has once again revealed the true face of the terrorist organization,” he added.
Border guards Mehvan Naji and Ali Ramazan were killed and a third was injured while on duty in Zakho’s Batifa subdistrict.
Iraq’s Interior Minister Abdul-Amir al-Shammari said they were killed in an attack carried out by “terrorist elements belonging to the banned PKK organization.”
PKK-affiliated media has blamed Turkey for their deaths.
It is unusual for Iraqi officials to use the word “terrorists” in connection with the PKK. Baghdad has not designated the Kurdish armed group a terrorist organization despite pressure from Ankara. The Iraqi government did, however, ban the group last year ahead of a landmark visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that was followed by agreements in a range of areas, including security and anti-PKK operations.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Baghdad on Sunday. Security will be on the agenda for his meetings with Iraq’s prime minister and foreign minister.
