MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Turkey's interference in an advance on the Iraqi city of Mosul could complicate matters, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Russia said Thursday.
"The Turks also fear not to aggravate the situation. If the Shiite militia starts [involvement in the assault on Mosul], the Kurds will also start, then the Turks. Then maybe even the PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] will join. This will entirely complicate things," Hoshawi Babakr told RIA Novosti.
5 October 2016, 11:55 GMT
On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from Daesh militants. According to local media, about 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the operation, backed by airstrikes carried out by the US-led international coalition.
Ankara has voiced intention to participate in the operation. On December 4, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to northern Iraq reportedly to help national forces to reclaim the city of Mosul from Daesh jihadists, prohibited in Russia and many other countries. Following the deployment, Abadi demanded the withdrawal of the Turkish troops sent into the Bashiqa camp without Baghdad's approval.
