Turkey bares its teeth toward Mosul through the Sinjar gateway

In controversial remarks, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the PKK file in Iraq would be the “next stage” after Syria, claiming the group “occupies vast areas of Iraqi territory” and questioning the meaning of sovereignty under such conditions.

Fidan explicitly referred to Sinjar, Makhmour, and Qandil, stating that these areas would witness “changes in the not-too-distant future.” He urged Baghdad to “draw lessons from what happened in Syria” and to take “wiser decisions” to ease what he described as a transitional phase.

Latest updates:

. Increased Military Pressure:Turkey is actively constructing a new supply road through the Reshava Valley at the foot of Metin Mountain in Duhok province, enhancing its ability to move troops and equipment between military outposts in the region

.Shifting Security Strategy: While Turkey and Iraq signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2024 to coordinate on security and the PKK, Turkey is now pressing for more concrete, immediate action from Baghdad to remove the PKK from areas like Sinjar, arguing that previous efforts have been largely rhetorical.

• Yesterday, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad over these statements.

• Baghdad viewed the remarks as interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and a violation of its sovereignty.

• The statements have raised political and security tensions, with expectations of a firmer Iraqi response in the coming hours.

Context of Regional Instability:The push is unfolding against a backdrop of wider regional instability, including the fallout from the Israel-Gaza conflict and changing power dynamics in Syria.

The situation points toward potential diplomatic escalation and increased Turkish security pressure in northern Iraq.