Turkey Demands Explanation Over Ex-Kurdish Leader Barzani's Armed Guards on Turkish Soil, Citing Protocol Breach and Provocation

Turkey Demands Explanation Over Barzani's Armed Guards on Turkish Soil

Ankara has launched an investigation and lodged a formal complaint after former Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani visited a Turkish border region accompanied by heavily armed, uniformed guards. The incident has ignited a diplomatic spat, with Turkey deeming the security detail insulting and a challenge to its sovereignty.

Controversial Visit Sparks Outrage

The controversy stems from Masoud Barzani, the influential head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK) and former President of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), visiting the Cizre district in Turkey's Sirnak province. This weekend visit for a symposium on a Kurdish poet, which also saw the attendance of Turkish officials, including a deputy interior minister, took an unexpected turn due to Barzani's security detail.

Turkish officials were quick to condemn widely circulated videos showing Barzani's retinue of heavily armed guards in foreign uniforms. Ankara stated these actions were "insulting" and undermined the Turkish state's ability to protect foreign dignitaries on its own soil, potentially jeopardizing efforts to improve Turkish-KRG relations.

Political Firestorm and Accusations

The leader of the ultra-nationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahceli, a key ally of President Tayyip Erdogan, was among the first to voice strong criticism. Bahceli accused Barzani of transforming his visit into a "show," declaring, "It is a total disgrace for soldiers with foreign uniforms to be roaming around our nation's soil with long-range rifles."

Barzani's office promptly retorted, labeling Bahceli's remarks as "the product of a chauvinist mentality." They insisted that all security measures during the visit were fully compliant with protocols previously agreed upon by both Turkish and Iraqi officials. The statement further intensified the exchange, adding, "We thought God had guided Devlet Bahceli and given up racism and chauvinism. But it seems he's still the same old Grey Wolf, only now he's dressed in sheep's clothing," a direct reference to the MHP's emblem and Bahceli's past involvement in peace talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Ankara's Firm Stance and Investigation

The Turkish Interior Ministry has officially launched an investigation into the "armed guard images." Concurrently, the Foreign Ministry denounced the statement from Barzani's office as "unacceptable," "provocative," and "disrespectful." Ankara has demanded a clear explanation and the implementation of measures against those involved in the perceived breach of protocol.

President Tayyip Erdogan himself underscored the gravity of the situation, calling the comments from Barzani's office "impertinent" and unacceptable. He expressed a strong hope for the rectification of this "grave mistake."

This incident highlights the delicate balance of relations in a region where Turkey seeks PKK disarmament to stabilize areas, including KRG territory, where PKK militants are active.