Turkish Army Preparing to Attack Iraq’s Sinjar

The informed Kurdish source in Iraqi Kurdistan region has told the Iraqi al-Maloumeh news website that the Turkish army is preparing its troops in Duhok province to conduct a military operation against the elements of the Kurdistan Workers Party (the PKK) in the northern Iraqi city of Sinjar.

Turkey is training its troops at its large base in the Kanimassi area, which houses around 2,500 troops. This base has also an airport.

Referring to the recent visit of the Turkish defense minister to Erbil, the source, who wanted to remain anonymous said that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had agreed with the operation in Sinjar.

The source added that Turkish forces have also conducted reconnaissance patrols along the Mahmoudiyah road and Snuneh which lead to Sinjar city to identify the area to launch the military operation in Sinjar.

This development comes a week after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week that Turkey may conduct a joint operation with Iraq to clear PKK elements out of the Sinjar region. Erdogan refused to confirm that such an operation would take place in the near future.

The Turkish president said that, "We may come there overnight, all of a sudden."