Monday, March 19, 2007
Turkmen form own militia in Kirkuk
Security
(Al-Melaf) A Turkmen political leader announced that his party has formed an armed militia to protect the Iraqi Turkmen community from rising attacks and persecution in the northern city of Kirkuk, according to the Al-Melaf website. Ali Mehdi Sadiq, head of the Turkmeneli Party, stated that Turkmen politicians, community leaders and businessmen are facing a “campaign of elimination,” which requires the formation of an armed Turkmen group.
Sadiq warned that civil war would break out if Kirkuk becomes part of the Kurdistan Region and that it would spread to other parts of Iraq, claiming the lives of thousands of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, adding that this would not be in the benefit of Iraq or neighboring countries, such as Turkey. Sadiq also claimed that 600,000 Kurds from the north of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria have settled in Kirkuk in an effort to change the ethnically mixed city’s demographics.
(Al-Melaf) A Turkmen political leader announced that his party has formed an armed militia to protect the Iraqi Turkmen community from rising attacks and persecution in the northern city of Kirkuk, according to the Al-Melaf website. Ali Mehdi Sadiq, head of the Turkmeneli Party, stated that Turkmen politicians, community leaders and businessmen are facing a “campaign of elimination,” which requires the formation of an armed Turkmen group.
Sadiq warned that civil war would break out if Kirkuk becomes part of the Kurdistan Region and that it would spread to other parts of Iraq, claiming the lives of thousands of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, adding that this would not be in the benefit of Iraq or neighboring countries, such as Turkey. Sadiq also claimed that 600,000 Kurds from the north of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria have settled in Kirkuk in an effort to change the ethnically mixed city’s demographics.
COMMENT: This is a reaction to violence from Kurdish militias and is likley to worsen the conflict between the different groups in Kirkuk - Kurds, Assyrians, Arabs and Turkomen - the last three groups are united against becoming part of Kurdistan. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Ali Mehdi Sadiq, Kirkuk, Kurds, militia, Turkmeneli Party
