Russia asked the UN Security Council to hold a closed session to discuss the reasons for the deployment of military forces by Turkish government in northern Iraq without the consent of the Iraqi government .The Turkish authorities have deployed nearly 200 Turkish soldiers with a number of armored vehicles and military vehicles and equipment in the outskirts of Nineveh province and specifically in the area of Bashiqa mountain overlooking on the center of Ba’shiqah district and Zhelkan village belong to Sheikhan district, and that the aim of the presence of these forces is a training of volunteers of the people of Nineveh province in the camp (the national crowd) which is supervised by Ethyl Abdul Aziz Najafi , a former governor of Nineveh province and the mission of this camp is preparation , readiness and planning for the Liberation of the city of Mosul and drive ISIS out of it noting that the number of fighters in this camp more than 1200 fighters. The deployment of Turkish troops formed a political and military crisis with the Baghdad government, which claims that it is not aware of the existence of these forces and what is the purpose and goals of them.
It is noticeable as we expected in a previous article of the Rawabetcenter titled(Turkish troops in Iraq: motives and objectives) , we said that one of the main reasons is to expand the tension with Turkey and the escalation of the situation against it after dropping Russian aircraft on the Syrian-Turkish border by the Turkish antiaircraft .
we will shed light once again on the real reasons and motives that prompted Russia to submit their request to the Security Council regarding the Turkish presence in Iraq:
1. Russian request came as a clear invitation and obvious influence from Iranian side who wanted to be away from the arena of direct confrontation between Turkey and Iraq and secluded itself away to see and observe what will happen, but moved to address its strategic ally (Russian) and pushed it to move internationally and diplomatically across the front of the UN Security Council.
2. Russian side saw that it is useful of investment of the Turkish military presence to inflame the situation of conflict with the Turks in order to achieve its political results to increase the pressure process against Turkish officials , especially after the incident of the fall of the Russian plane in November 24, 2015 .
3. Enhancing of diplomatic pressure against the Turkish government by showing them to the public and international organizations that they have strategic interests and political project in the Middle East inconsistent with the trends and interests of the regional and major states and different with them in other important aspects .
4. The request came after a statement made by Foreign Minister of Turkey through the Turkish channel (24) saying (all are in Iraq and the aim of all of us is clear: to provide advice, training and armament and our presence is not secret), noting that it is a clear sign and a quiet diplomat words indicating for the Iranian military presence and armed militia and political influence which practiced by Tehran on Baghdad, and from here we have to ponder on the fact of Iran’s influence on the Russian decision to discuss the Turkish presence in Iraq.
5. Turkish movement came in consistent with what was referred to by the US government that any military presence on the ground in Iraq must have the approval of Baghdad, it is to inform others that coordination should not be exclusively with Baghdad as claimed by Washington, but through them and through the leadership of the international coalition.
6. Russia wanted to say that the theater in Iraq is not the preserve of one so that does not leave it to an international body or a big country and it has the interests and strategy pursued by the presence in this inflamed region, it is a hint of the possibility of Russian military intervention in Iraq.
7. Enhancing of talks and accusations against the Turkish side in dealing with Iraqi affairs and to this , we see that the Prime Minister of Iraq, Haider al-Abadi indicated that the Turkish side help and contribute to the oil smuggling carried out by ISIS through its territory and to facilitate the passage of it to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea or through important intermediaries and partners . This accusation is consistent with what it was referred to by senior Russian officials in words confrontation process with the Turks , and these facts confirms the great coordination between Moscow and Baghdad.
8. Iraqi government is appeasing the Iranians by supporting their policy in the region and the exchange of roles with them in their relationship with the neighboring countries, Iraqi officials allowed for themselves to keep Iran away from confrontation with Turkey and condemnation of the Turkish presence in northern Iraq and took the initiative to make a real ironic and grievous attitude to ask the Turkish government to withdraw their troops within 48 hours as if there is no any international or regional military forces , in a clear disregard of the Iranian presence and influence.
9. The request of Russian side to the Security Council comes with the beginning of preparations and meetings in Riyadh city , capital of Saudi Arabia , which will be attended by Syrian opposition forces and try to influence the Turkish decision and to contribute to the exclusion of Turks for identifying tracks of the situation in Syria and the results will be reached through these meetings because Turkish government is a basic player in the Syrian file and problem.
The events are rapid and turbulent and everyone is trying to find a broad and wide-area to achieve their aspirations, objectives and interests so as to ensure to be active and influential in the inflamed area.
Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies