Mayville: Suleymaniye Incident is History

"That event is history. It doesn’t reflect our relations with the Turkish forces right now," said Mayville.

In a statement to NTV Television yesterday, emphasizing that stability in Kirkuk was provided with the help of Turkish Special Forces, Colonel Mayville pointed out that he did not want Turkish troops to come to Northern Iraq.

The American commander did not agree with the claims that he opposed the collection of peshmergas’ weapons in Kirkuk and its vicinities.

Mayville pointed out that they came to Kirkuk with the peshmergas, and argued that right now there were no peshmergas in urban and rural areas. He also said that the various factions kept to themselves and that the city was stable.

About the Suleymaniye incident, Colonel Mayville said that enquiries into the matter are still ongoing and that the most rational thing to do is to give the matter some distance.

He pointed out that American forces were in close corporation with Turkish liaison officers, and added: "Turkish Special Forces are a very distinguished group. We hold routine meetings with Turkish soldiers, we are all locked on the same target: security and stability."