Turkiye denies reports of troop withdrawal from Iraq

Shafaq News/ The Turkish Directorate of Communications has denied reports claiming that a recent security agreement between Ankara and Baghdad on the withdrawal of Turkish military forces from Iraqi territory.

An official statement said that such a provision does not exist in the military, security coordination and counterterrorism memorandum of understanding signed between Turkiye and Iraq.

"Turkiye's fight against terrorism continues resolutely both domestically and across borders. Please disregard claims made outside of official sources," the statement said.

The Directorate said that the security deal in force between the neighbors includes the establishment of a Joint Security Coordination Center in Baghdad and a Joint Training and Cooperation Center in Bashiqa.

These centers are intended to address threats posed by terrorist organizations to the sovereignty, security, and regional stability of both countries, according to the statement.

The Turkiye military has been present in northern Iraq since 2015 to fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a militant group that Turkiye, in addition to the US and EU, considers a terrorist organization. The PKK has been fighting for decades for autonomy for Turkiye's Kurdish minority.

The presence of Turkiye troops in Iraq has been a source of tension between the two countries. Iraq has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of the troops, saying they violate its sovereignty. Turkiye has argued that the troops are necessary to protect its national security.