Turkey seeks to extend Ottoman Empire in the region, says Abadi
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. File photo.
(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – On Friday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced, that Turkey is aiming to re-establish its Ottoman empire in the region and doubted its intentions to fight ISIS, while called it to withdraw its troops from Iraq.
Abadi said in a statement followed by IraqiNews.com “Turkey is telling us that it is eager to fight ISIS, but I’m telling them frankly, I’m not seeing evidence of that and I hope to see more evidence of their intention to fight ISIS,” adding that, “I think the Turks have to shift their priority from considering the Kurds as their problem, to ISIS as their major problem.”
Abadi continued, “ISIS is responsible for the bombings that targeted some areas in Turkey and it is a warning to Ankara to take the risk of ISIS seriously,” noting that, “Turkey had extended its fight against the PKK into Iraq and hoped to do so into Syria as well.”
Noteworthy, Iraqi prime minister accused Turkey of seeking to re-establish its Ottoman empire in the region, while emphasized that Iraq is keen to maintain good relations with the neighboring Turkey.”
The Prime Minister also considered the spread of Turkish troops inside the Iraqi territory as unacceptable, while called Turkey to withdraw its troops.”