PKK uses Kurdish region to attack Turkey: Barzani

The head of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, says the PKK – designated a terror group by Washington, EU and Ankara – uses the Kurdish region to attack Turkey.

In statements following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Barzani said the KRG was waiting for the formation of a coalition government in Baghdad following the manual recount of votes from last month’s parliamentary polls.

Accordingly, the KRG will hold talks with political coalitions in Baghdad, he added.

Barzani stressed that the KRG supported the decision taken by parliament for the manual recount of votes, a decision which was upheld by Supreme Federal Court.

Answering a question about the Turkish military operations inside the KRG territory, Barzani stressed that the reason for the operations should be well known to everyone.

“PKK uses many of the KRG’s lands it occupies as a base to attack Turkey,” Barzani said.

He went on to stress that “we never accept using our lands to attack Turkey and Iran.”

Barzani said he congratulated Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the telephone for his win in June's presidential election, adding he would visit Ankara for further talks.