Turkiye backs Turkmen in Kirkuk power dispute
Turkiye voiced concern on Friday over rising tensions in Iraq's multiethnic Kirkuk province, backing Turkmen calls for equitable representation in local governance following controversial administrative changes in the town of Altun Kupri.
Iraq's Turkmen, the third-largest ethnic group, are mainly based in areas like Kirkuk and trace their roots to early Turkic migrations and the Ottoman era. They share strong cultural ties with Turkiye, which views them as kin and has long advocated for their political rights.
On X, the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticized the appointment of a Kurdish official to lead Altun Kupri's municipality—an area with a dense Turkmen population—warning that the move had triggered 'understandably caused discontent and disappointment' within the community. It stressed that Turkmen must be 'duly represented' in Iraq's political and administrative structures, especially in local institutions across Kirkuk.
Statement of the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Öncü Keçeli, in Response to a Question Regarding the Recent Developments in Altunköprü District of Kirkuk https://t.co/trWiKKGHNp pic.twitter.com/MNabvgWCJ3
— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) July 4, 2025
Framing the issue as part of a broader concern, the ministry described the province as a 'microcosm of Iraq,' emphasizing that its peace and stability are vital for the country's unity.
Altun Kupri witnessed two waves of protests this week, as Turkmen Front supporters blocked the strategic Kirkuk-Erbil highway on Monday and again on Thursday. Protesters demanded that the mayoral post be assigned to a Turkmen candidate, arguing that the town's demographic makeup was being ignored.
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