Turkish opposition MP urges joint op. in Iraq’s Qandil

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish main opposition lawmaker called on Iraqi central government to conduct a joint operation in Iraq’s Qandil region, where PKK terrorist group keeps its headquarters.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Dursun Cicek said that they welcomed Iraqi troops deployment in northern Iraq’s Sinjar district following withdrawal of the PKK terrorists.

Cicek said the PKK terrorists should be cleared from Sinjar region as well as Qandil Mt. "Turkey essentially demands Baghdad government to clean the Qandil terror base [of PKK].”

"If Baghdad is not strong enough to do this, we can conduct a joint operation," he added.

On Sunday, Iraqi troops were deployed in Sinjar after members of the PKK terrorist group withdrew from the district a day earlier.

The PKK first established a foothold in Sinjar in 2014 on the pretext that it was “protecting” the local Ezidi community from the Daesh terrorist group.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently hinted at the possibility of a military campaign aimed at dislodging the PKK from Sinjar.