TEHRAN (Iran News) – The town of Sinjar in northern Iraq has become subject to pretexts both by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members and the Turkish Army, and there is no possibility for the return of the displaced people of this town to their homes. This issue goes back to the era of the occupation of Sinjar in the Nineveh Governorate by the terrorist group Daesh in August 2014 when it led to the massacre of the Yazidi minority in this area and their displacement.

At that time hundreds of forces of the Syrian branch of PKK, namely People’s Protection Units (YPG), as well as some of the key members of this group under the pretext of defending Yazidi Kurd people entered this town. These forces are known as the brigade of Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS). After destroying the Daesh Group and restoration of relative peace in this area, the Iraqi Government, Iraqi Kurdistan, and Turkey’s officials called for the exit of these forces from Sinjar and handing over the town to the Iraqi security forces but despite three years have passed since that decision and some verbal and written agreements have been reached between the two parties, these forces commanded by the central headquarters of PKK have refrained from handing over the town.

Continuation of this condition and presence of PKK members in this area and continuation of the warlike situation of the area as well as entrenching and digging massive tunnels and creating mass insecurity has caused Yazidi displaced people not to dare to return to their homes, and this issue is not tolerable at all for Iraqi government and society. Meanwhile, Iraqi popular forces believe that the issue of Sinjar should be resolved by Iraq Army and Iraq’s Popular Mobilization, and the presence of Turkish troops in this area can have heavier consequences than the presence of just a few hundred militiamen in the north of Nineveh.

As per reports, since last week a new round of operation by the Turkish Army has been launched with the support of Turkish jet fighters and planes and their heavy bombardment on the secret hide-outs of PKK groups in northern Iraq as the operation has been codenamed “Claw-Eagle2” or under the title of “Claw-Tiger2.” Indeed, this operation is the follow-up to a massive operation with the same codename which was conducted against the PKK this summer in Iraq’s Duhok Governorate realm.

Political speculations based on the existing analyses in this regard believe that PKK group members will not leave this area because if they leave the area, they will provide pretexts to Turkey which seeks any pretext to keep its army in the area. Although the return of the displaced Iraqi people to their homes is a positive and favorable move in this regard, the danger which exists here is the possible long-term presence of Turkish troops on Iraq’s soil under the pretext of a continuing fight with PKK.

The experience from Turkey’s scenario buildings in northern Syria also under the pretext of a fight with Daesh group and YPG militiamen shows that the Turkish Army after the end of the operation and clearing the region does not intend to leave this geography and it will set up official bases for long term presence. If we skip this issue, the permanent presence of Turkish troops in northern Iraq due to the existing differences between the central government and Iraqi Kurdistan over its independence can be a big threat for the future of this country and repetition of experienced past scenarios in Syria and Libya by Turkey for creating a backyard and supporting a subordinate government on Iraqi soil.

Turkey with this belief of Ottomanization in the region has painted a picture of itself for the neighbors in a way that they consider the country under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan an opportunist neighbor. Neighbors of Turkey have witnessed that since February this year, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar by visiting Erbil and meeting with Iraqi Kurdistan officials like Masoud and Nechirvan Barzani won their approval for a joint operation against militiamen in Sinjar. Meanwhile, in the meeting between Erdogan and Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, the Iraqi government announced its agreement for putting an end to the security crisis in Sinjar.

But it seems Turkey every day finds a more justified pretext for its presence in the area. The public concerns in northern Iraq are growing day by day because they have witnessed the continuation of occupation of Iraq soil, and the transfer of over 10,000 members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) or al-Hashd al-Shaabi, and the presence of the group’s leader Abu Fadak al-Mohammedawi at the suburb of Sinjar in recent days has stepped up the possibility for long term conflicts.

Regardless of this issue, Turkey has started heavy bombardments in these areas for days and every moment it is expected Turkish troops to start their ground attack at Sinjar with the green light of Iraqi Kurdistan officials. This point that a pretext for staying for a longer time and creating dominance in those areas is considered a goal for Turkey will, of course, not remain hidden from the eyes of the neighbors and above all Iraqi people themselves, and day by day the concealed hypocrisy for making opportunity by Turkey will be more unfolded for the people of the region.