The Next Century Foundation is closely monitoring the situation in Iraq and is deeply saddened by the news of the recent attack in Parakh that left at least 9 civilians dead, including children, and more than 20 wounded. Parakh is a small village located in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Such is part of the Zakho district of the Duhok province, where the Turkish Armed Forces are executing operation Claw-Lock to counter the threat from the PKK.
The attack is not an isolated event. According to the Community Peacemaker Teams Organization, Parakh was also hit last month by Turkish artillery, injuring two residents. This series of violent actions are a direct consequence of the Turkey-PKK conflict, but the victims are still Iraqis. Many rural villages in the Northern part of Iraq have faced diverse security threats from the PKK, Turkey, or both, resulting in civilian casualties and the abandonment of these small towns due to the repeated violence. It is worth noting that the Western nations of the US and the UK, have also expressed their condemnation and condolences about the attack.
The repeated bombing of civilians deserves strong condemnation and the conflict between Ankara and the PKK cannot turn into a justification for the indiscriminate attack on civilians. Although we are fully aware of how conflicts work, we also know that there are steps that exist to minimise the damage to non-combatant populations. The Geneva Convention of 1949 addresses the need to maintain humanity in testing times of irregular warfare. The non-participatory civilian population are protected under Common article 3 to the Geneva Conventions; articles 1(1) and 13(1) Additional Protocol II). By engaging in fierce artillery bombing, Turkey failed to distinguish between civilians and combatants. One could argue that bombing has become an unfortunate phenomenon in “just war” theory where the scale of destruction is immeasurable. States must still follow the jus in bello principle.
Since the 1990s, the Turkish-Kurdish conflict has had a negative spillover into Iraqi Kurdistan. The Turkish government has tried to defend itself against the Iraqi condemnation by accusing PKK of anti-Turkish propaganda, yet the more likely case is this is just another case of cruelty in Turkey’s campaign against the Kurds. Turkey has issued a statement on cooperation with the Iraqi government in investigating the attack, however, this could be used as an excuse by Turkey to cover up their 38 illegal military bases in northern Iraq. The NCF calls upon UNAMI to conduct an independent investigation on the nature of the attack to bring justice to those whose lives are now ruined by this shadowy geopolitics.
Rising tensions
The bombing in Parakh has strained Turkey-Iraq relations. Iraq’s PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi said that he would demand a full withdrawal of Turkish troops. Baghdad expects to wield leverage over Ankara in their upcoming arbitration case as the government claims that Turkey violated the bilateral treaty over the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline. Iraq’s politicians are finally adopting a similar discourse, they are blaming Ankara and claiming measures to be taken.
Hence, despite the tragic news, the Turkish attack may offer a silver lining for Iraqis. It may help diffuse the dangerous rising internal tensions between Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and former PM of Iraq Nouri al-Maliki by shifting the focus away from the current political stalemate toward a united stance against Ankara’s continued violations of Iraqi sovereignty. This could help prevent a Shia-Shia conflict, as well as unite the various demographics of Iraq.
The recent bombing has resulted in great discontent among Iraqis who have taken the streets to demonstrate their anger. Citizens have gathered near the Turkish embassy and visa application centres in Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Karbala, to remove Turkish flags and burn them as signs of protest. It is important that the various political figures of Iraq unite to oppose Turkey’s recent actions as well as put in place policies that can bring the families of the deceased justice – protests are not enough to get justice; substantial action must be taken.
A few days ago, recordings of al-Maliki were leaked in which he said that blood must be shed in Iraq. The ex-PM was heard saying that the next stage of the political stalemate was fighting as al-Sadr wanted to kill and slaughter. Therefore, he was working to arm up to 15 militias to get them battle-ready. In the inflammatory recordings, al-Maliki also claimed that Iraq was on the verge of civil war unless they could destroy the political views of al-Sadr, al-Halbusi (Iraq Parliament Speaker), and Barzani (leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party). The said tapes have sparked anger within the population. Additionally, al-Sadr has publicly called for al-Maliki’s political resignation.
The NCF is also deeply worried about the rising tensions within Iraq, the incendiary rhetoric, and the possibility of future escalation. Though the parties might unite around opposing Turkey’s actions, this cannot just be rhetoric. Steps must be taken to prevent a similar bombing from happening again.
It is unlikely that these bombings will provide the foundation needed for Iraqi parties to form a coalition government. Hence, the NCF also calls for an urgent and peaceful solution to the political stalemate. It has been 9 months since the parliamentary elections and Iraq is yet to appoint a president. This gridlock only prevents the adequate tackling of the country’s problems, both domestic and foreign.
The Next Century Foundation is organising an upcoming conference with a session on Iraq. If it is of interest to you feel free to find more information and the registration link here.
