Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim arrived in Baghdad on Saturday for a two-day visit, according to a report on Iraqi state TV. It’s the first such visit since the two Governments quarreled over the presence of unauthorized Turkish troops in northern Iraq, straining relations between the two neighbors fighting the Islamic State group.
The report didn’t give details on Yildirim’s schedule. On his Twitter account, the Turkish Ambassador to Baghdad, Faruk Kaymakci, said that “We hope that his visit will open a new chapter in Turkey-Iraq relations.”
The presence of some 500 Turkish troops in the Bashiqa region, northeast of the IS-held city of Mosul, has stirred tension with Baghdad since late last year. Iraq has demanded their withdrawal, saying they are there without permission and are in “blatant violation” of Iraqi sovereignty. Turkey says the troops were invited by local Iraqi authorities and has ignored the calls.
The issue has led to a war of words between the two nations’ leaders as Iraqi Government troops launched a massive military operation to recapture Mosul on Oct. 17. Ankara has insisted that its forces should take part in retaking the city, but Baghdad has refused.
The issue of the Turkish forces in Bashiqa grew into a rare and bitter public feud last year between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.
At one point, Erdogan gave a speech telling al-Abadi to “know his place,” and adding, “you are not at my level, you are not my equivalent, you are not of the same quality as me.”
Al-Abadi responded by mocking Erdogan’s use of a video messaging app during Turkey’s failed coup last year.