Erdogan Says Attack on Iraq’s Dohuk a False-Flag Terrorist Act

Iraq continues to fume at resort attack

Last week’s (apparently Turkish) attack on a resort in Dohuk, Iraqi Kurdistan continues to worsen ties, with Iraq complaining to the UN Security Council about the “expansionist” goals of Turkey, which are driving the latest round of offensives.

The attack killed eight people, and led Iraq to demand a full Turkish withdrawal from their territory. This was the first time during the current offensive that they’ve objected.

Turkey rejected this, denying any involvement in the attack. President Erdogan went on to suggest it was a false flag attack trying to undermine Iraq-Turkey ties.

This leads to accusations that some Kurdish terrorist group attacked a Kurdish resort to undercut Turkey. There is, of course, no evidence to substantiate that claim.

On the other hand, Erdogan’s claims of Iraqi support for the offensive are hanging by a thread, with Iraqi officials insisting time and again that they never endorsed any Turkish offensive of Kurdistan.This offensive was the first that Turkey claimed came with such an endorsement. Past offensives in recent decades were just done on orders of Turkish parliament.

Ultimately this probably doesn’t mean that much, as Turkey operated in Iraq with impunity and without permission, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.