‘Turkish Troops in Iraq will Facilitate Kerkuk Intervention’

A news article by the Journal reported that about two millions Kurdish electors voted for independence in an unofficial referendum held during the Iraqi elections and noted that the Kurds’ insistence that they want to preserve the independence obtained since 1991 has caused alarm bells to ring in Turkey. According to the Journal, Turkey has warned Kurds not to take control of Kirkuk and deprive the Turkmen of their rights; stating they would facilitate necessary intervention in Kirkuk. The Journal also noted that the Turkish army had formed military bases in Barmani and three others towns in northern Iraq in order to monitor the activities of the terrorist organization the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) eight years ago and asserted that although the PKK was oppressed, Turkey would not withdraw from these bases.