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KRG angry over Turkey’s stance on Takfiri insurgency

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Tension is simmering between the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region and Turkey over Ankara’s balking over supporting the Kurds in their fight against ISIL.
Prime Minister of the KRG – Necrivan Barazani – has expressed letdown over Turkey’s not providing any military support stressing that Erbil had much higher expectations. The Kurdish PM’s concerns were also reiterated by Kurdish Presidential chief of staff –Fouad Hussein – who is known to be the KRG President’s right-hand-man. Hussein expressed shock over the Kurds’ receiving back-up from countries all over the world but not their Turkish neighbors. Though ties between Turkey and Kurdistan have improved over the past couple of years with extensive economic, trade, and political deals – experts believe Ankara has recently scored a strategic failure. To justify its shy support of the Kurds and refusal to take part in a so-called US-led coalition to fight back ISIL – Ankara expressed fears over the well-being of some 49 Turkish nationals taken hostage by ISIL in Mosul. However many – including Turkish Parliamentarians – stress that there’s more to the case than meets the eye. In a recent statement he made, Turkish Parliamentarian – Aysel Tugulk – pointed out that the reason Ankara didn’t tag along as a player in the anti-ISIL front was because ISIL is a proxy force led by Ankara itself. Though some might beg to differ, it is no surprise that Ankara’s anti-Syria stances have contributed to the rise of ISIL in the region – something which many feel will take its toll on Turkey’s ties with its regional neighbors as well as its NATO allies.

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