Brett McGurk
The Ovaköy border gate, the second between Turkey and Iraq, has sent the United States into a state of panic. Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy for the fight against Daesh, held meetings with Iraqi politicians.
McGurk has recently been meeting with different sections of Iraqi politics. On Tuesday, McGurk met with Nechirvan Barzani, the prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). He also met with various Turkmen, Arab, Kurdish and Christian representatives.
McGurk has held meetings in Mosul, Kirkuk, Erbil, Tal Afar and Sinjar, in which he asked tribes to back the clearing of Baghdad’s forces and their replacement by American troops and the Peshmerga.
Technical preparations for the Ovaköy Border Gate that will directly link Turkey to Baghdad via a 570-kilometer (354-mile) highway will begin following the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday. A delegation will conduct a detailed analysis in early September.Last week, Qazim al-Akabi, the head of Iraq’s committee for border crossings, said that the two sides had agreed to dispatch technical experts to the border region sometime next month to conduct a feasibility study.A large delegation of officials from the presidency, police, and public works and highways will visit the region in early September to analyze the area. This will be the first concrete step for Ovaköy.Erdoğan: Second border gate to benefit Turkey, IraqRoute to be determinedThe route of the highway connecting Turkey and Baghdad will be determined in a way that does not pass through the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) or Syria. Following the feasibility study and an agreement on the route, the Ovaköy Border Gate will be given the green light. Turkey will finance the necessary infrastructure investments.Key issue: SecurityThe most critical matter regarding Ovaköy is security. During the feasibility studies, every effort will be exercised in order to ensure safety and security. Discussions will be held with the locals of the area. The planned border terminal would trigger an economic revival in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.Turkey, Iraq to discuss opening of new border crossingUS attempts to sabotage OvaköyThe Ovaköy Border Gate project is being delayed due to U.S. pressures on the Iraqi government although Ankara and Baghdad had reached a consensus regarding the matter.The border gate, an alternative to the Ibrahim Khalil (Habur) border crossing located between Turkey and the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, will cut off the weapons supply of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terror group.Washington, which is currently using the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing to supply weapons to terrorists from the PKK in Syria, is afraid of losing its terror card in the region as the border gate would prevent the U.S. from ensuring the free flow of terrorists.US attempts to sabotage Ovaköy border gate between Turkey, Iraq
Feasibility studies for Turkey-Iraq Ovaköy Border Gate to begin in Sept
McGurk suggests Tal Afar Airport become U.S. base
During his meeting in Kirkuk, McGurk alleged that Tal Afar would be cleared of Iraqi forces and come under U.S. control. He added that Iranian soldiers and Hashd Shaabi militias stationed at Tel Afar military airport would be cleared by U.S. troops.
U.S. troops on border
Three other top U.S. officials participated in the meetings, in which they stated that the Turkey-Syria border would be delivered to the Peshmerga through the help of U.S. troops. While Brett McGurk was in the region for four days, a U.S. foreign affairs and defense delegation remained in northern Iraq for another week and continued to meet with different groups.
Occupation spans Kirkuk
The splitting of controversial areas was also discussed in the meetings. McGurk said that 40,000 pro-Iran militias were currently in Mosul and Kirkuk, 80 percent of whom were Shiite.
McGurk offered to cooperate with all segments in order to clear the region of Hashd Shaabi militias. He added that the next step was Kirkuk and that the town would be delivered to the Peshmerga.
A second border gate between Turkey and Iraq will benefit both countries, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Tuesday.Speaking at a joint news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in capital Ankara, Erdoğan said: “The border gate, which is set to open, will be beneficial for our country and Iraq.”The president said both sides also discussed the reopening of consulates in Mosul and Basra.European bank 'remains committed' to TurkeyHe praised the bilateral cooperation, adding the two countries agreed to boost their trade volume.The two sides also discussed other issues, among them water, electricity, health, industry, investment, military, security, economy and culture, Erdoğan said.Recalling Iraq’s May 12 elections, Erdoğan said Turkey supports Iraq’s sovereignty and political unity.EP Forum slams US tariffs on TurkeyHe said Turkey stands with Iraq without discrimination based on religion or language.Erdoğan said they also discussed the fight against Daesh and PKK terror groups."We are determined to wipe out these organizations and its extensions from our region," he said."We will continue together with Iraq to fight against terror organizations."World leaders slam Trump’s sanctions, express support for TurkeyTurkey faces speculative attack, not crisis: BankerUS sanctions hurting its own reputation: Turkish FM
Erdoğan: Second border gate to benefit Turkey, Iraq
Attempt to sabotage Ovaköy border gate
Experts have dubbed McGurk’s meetings as an attempt to sabotage the Ovaköy border gate. The Ovaköy border gate, an alternative to the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing located between Turkey and the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, will bypass the Barzani administration.
The U.S. seeks to position troops in border areas and then deliver these areas to the Peshmerga to serve two purposes: firstly, to prevent the Ovaköy border gate project; and secondly, to continue to protect the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and deliver weapons to its Syrian extension, the Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Following a feasibility study and an agreement on the route, the Ovaköy Border Gate will be given the green light.
The Ovaköy border gate project is being delayed due to U.S. pressures on the Iraqi government although Ankara and Baghdad had reached a consensus regarding the matter.The border gate, an alternative to the Ibrahim Khalil (Habur) border crossing located between Turkey and the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, will cut off the weapons supply of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terror group.PKK pledges terrorists to Assad in exchange for AfrinWashington, which is currently using the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing to supply weapons to terrorists from the PKK in Syria, is afraid of losing its terror card in the region and trying to force the Iraqi administration to stop the Ovaköy Border Gate project.The Ovaköy line will start from the bottom of the Syrian border in the west of Habur, passing near Turkmen and Arab regions and will enable goods and services to be delivered directly to Baghdad.Assad regime begins strikes on Syria's Turkmen MountainThe 120-kilometer stabilized road to be used for connection to the main road from Mosul will become an international trade route.Turkey first announced the Ovaköy gate project at the end of 2017, after it shut down the main border crossing Habur in response to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s independence referendum on Sept. 25.US afraid of losing its terror leverageSpeaking to Yeni Şafak daily, Prof Dr. Mahir Nakip, head of international relations at Çankaya University and originally from Kirkuk, said, “The U.S. is blocking this project fearing the loss of its terror card.”The U.S has supplied the PKK/PYD terror organization with more than 5,000 truckloads of weapons to allegedly use in the fight against Daesh, despite Ankara’s warnings that the group is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror organization.Turkish forces neutralize 'most wanted' PKK terroristNakip stated that after the opening of the new border gate and closure of Habur, the Sinjar mountains, which was being prepared as an alternative base for PKK terrorists, will be bypassed.The U.S. had already prepared a deployment in Sinjar aimed at establishing a military base on the mountain where the PKK terrorist group is still present in the region under the name of the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ). The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.Ovaköy would be the best response to US blackmail“The opening of the Ovaköy trade gate would be the best answer to the U.S. which has started to economically blackmail Turkey,” Nakip said.Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday ramped up his attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.Turkish economic structure solid: Presidential aideAn attempt to separate Turkey from the Muslim worldStressing that the Ovaköy border gate was significant to break the political, military and economic siege trying divide Turkey from the Muslim world, Prof. Nakip said, “This gate as an operation will be the starting point of a new movement extending from Iraq to the Muslim world. Iraqi Arabs, Turkmens and Kurds support Turkey a hundred percent for the opening of this crossing point. Feasibility studies on the construction of the whole border and the new bridge across Habur River have been completed and will be launched when the line starts to operate. Turkey has undertaken the construction of this bridge.”He also underlined that Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) leader Barzani gained more than 600 million dollars annually from the Habur gate because it is the only trade route between Iraq and Turkey.
US attempts to sabotage Ovaköy border gate between Turkey, Iraq
The border gate will also cut off the weapons supply of the PKK terror group.
Washington, which is currently using the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing to supply weapons to terrorists from the PKK in Syria, is afraid of losing its terror card in the region and is trying to stop the Ovaköy Border Gate project.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.