ANKARA (Middle East Eye) – Turkish
Airlines has suspended its flights to Iraqi Kurdistan’s Sulaymaniyah airport in April as a response to alleged growing ties between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), two Turkish sources familiar with the issue told Middle East Eye.
The sources used the apparent existence of an air corridor between Iraq and Syria allegedly carrying senior PKK fighters at the behest of PUK leader Bafel Talabani, which was revealed after two helicopters came down in Iraq last month.
Talabani’s PUK is the second-largest party in the semi-autonomous region and the dominant force in Sulaymaniyah.
The so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed militia spearheaded by PKK-linked groups, said last month that nine of its members died in the Eurocopter AS350 helicopters crash.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said the helicopters belonged to his political rivals the PUK, which is believed to have ties with the PKK. However, Turkish sources alleged that the helicopters were rented through a local company by the U.S. government and then given to the PUK.
Those sources told MEE last month that it was important that KRG and Iraqi authorities reveal the alleged PUK connection to the flights, as is their responsibility.
Dana Mohammed, spokesperson for Sulaymaniyah airport, told a local media outlet that all Turkish Airlines flights between Sulaymaniyah and Turkey have been cancelled for April.
“No explanation has been given to us, but we have asked Turkey to clarify the reason for this decision by email,” she reportedly said.
“The real issue isn’t the helicopters carrying the PKK,” one Turkish source told MEE. “The issue is the Talabani tribe’s general support to the PKK.”
The PKK, a Kurdish separatist group, has been in conflict with the Turkish state since the 1980s, involving violence that has killed tens of thousands of people. Turkey, the U.S., and the EU have designated the PKK as a terror group due to the deadly attacks it has carried out on civilians.
Talabani has maintained silence on the helicopters issues following Barzani’s accusations. He only released a message of condolences.