What Does Turkey Want From Iraqi Kurdistan?
As Kurds are used to it, they face internal political divisions while their territories are once more wedged between regional and world powers, not least their powerful Turkish neighbor.
Iraq’s Kurdistan Region has had an eventful few days. On Monday, February 15, rocket attacks by an Iran-aligned Iraqi militia on the airport of its capital, Erbil, killed a civilian contractor with the U.S.-led military coalition and wounded six others, including a U.S. service member. The attack came on top of a tumultuous week. Starting February 10, the Kurdish region faced Turkey’s massive Operation Claw-Eagle 2, involving hundreds of Turkish soldiers and dozens of Turkish aircraft, including at least 11 Boeing Ch-47 Chinook choppers.