Anadolu Agency 'our voice', says Iraqi Turkmen lawmaker

ANKARA (AA) – Anadolu Agency plays a major role in publicizing the sufferings of the Turkmen community internationally, an Iraqi Turkmen lawmaker has said.

Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) deputy Ayden Maaruf was among a KRG delegation visiting Anadolu Agency’s headquarters in Ankara on Wednesday.

Anadolu Agency Deputy Director-General Mustafa Ozkaya briefed the delegation about the agency's activities and principles.

Ozkaya said the agency’s influence was increasing day-by-day especially in the Caucasus, Balkans and the Middle East.

"Although Anadolu Agency was a local and regional news agency until a short time ago, it has become a global news agency in the last five years," he said.

Ozkaya said Anadolu Agency was closely interested the Turkmen nation.

"Problems of the Turkmen, with whom we share the same language and culture in the region, are our problems also. Anadolu Agency is at the Turkmen's service. I want to underline that we are on the Turkmen's side on all occasions", he added.

Maaruf said the agency never left "us isolated in Erbil, Kirkuk, Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah".

“The Turkmen became oppressed after the Daesh terrorist organization occupied Mosul and Tal Afar. They had to migrate. Anadolu Agency became our voice for announcing the Turkmen's pain to the world," Maaruf said.