Turkey’s north Iraq operations emboldening ISIS – SDF

Turkey’s recent military operations in northern Iraq are eroding the fight against Islamic State (ISIS), pro-Kurdish new agency Mezopotamya cited the pro-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as saying on Saturday.

Turkey relaunched the joint Claw-Eagle and Claw-Tiger operations, cross-border ground and air offensives targeting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in various parts of northern Iraq in 2019, part of long-running efforts to dislodge the group from the border region.

On Wednesday,Turkey announced the resumption of its campaign against the PKK in the Gara region of Dohuk province.

Turkish military operations are helping ISIS to make a comeback in the region, the SDF said.

“These attacks of the Turkish state weaken the fight against ISIS. It paves the way for the strengthening of ISIS and negatively affects the fight against ISIS,’’ the SDF statement said. The SDF said that the Turkish military seeks to remove the gains of the Kurds, Arabs and other peoples of the region.

“That is why we consider the attacks of the Turkish state against Gara dangerous. However, our determined stance against ISIS terrorism and the Turkish state’s invasion attacks will continue,’’ the statement said.

Turkey is attempting to create a buffer zone in northern Iraq and Syria to push back Syrian Kurdish militias it deems as an offshoot of the PKK, an outlawed organisation that has been fighting an armed insurgency against the Turkish state for four decades.