Turkiye-PUK relations improve after years of tensions

Shafaq News- Ankara/ Al-Sulaymaniyah

Turkiye is steadily rebuilding ties with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), marking a significant shift in its long-standing approach to Iraqi Kurdish politics.

Amwaj media outlet reported on Thursday that Turkish Ambassador Anil Bora Inan met PUK leader Bafel Talabani, and Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani earlier this month after years of strained relations, during which Ankara favored engagement with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and accused the PUK of “acting as the PKK’s primary Iraqi backer.” The PUK later emerged as a facilitator in the PKK disarmament process, helping open a new channel for engagement with Turkiye.

Meanwhile, the Iran–Israel–US war and Turkiye’s ongoing peace process with the PKK have prompted regional actors to reassess their political relationships. The report noted that Ankara is expanding its contacts across Iraq’s Kurdish spectrum while maintaining its strategic partnership with the KDP.

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