Large-Scale Military Exercise Held at Iraqi Border Ahead of Kurdish Independence Referendum
Category: Instability
Severity: 3 (Moderate)
Source: Drum Cussac
09/18/2017 (Turkey) - Media reports indicate that Turkish forces began a large-scale military exercise along the border with Iraq on Monday, 18 September, a week before an independence referendum scheduled to be held in the Kurdistan region. Around 100 armored vehicles reportedly took part in the exercise near the Habur border crossing in Sirnak province in what has been interpreted as a show of force before the controversial referendum. Multiple countries including the US have asked Kurdish authorities to cancel the vote, seeing it as a threat to regional stability, but Turkey has warned that is planning to take unspecified steps in response to the poll. The Turkish government has expressed concerns that a vote for Kurdish independence in the 25 September referendum could exacerbate its own long-running Kurdish insurgency in the southeast of the country.
Those in Sirnak province should be aware of potential disruption from the military exercises on Monday and factor this into travel itineraries. Travellers in areas along the border with Iraq are advised to exercise a heightened level of caution and situational awareness given the current elevated tensions and should review contingency and evacuation plans in case of a rapid deterioration in the local security environment. Due to the security risks posed by the ongoing PKK led insurgency as well as security force operations in Turkey's south-east, those in the region are advised to monitor local media sources for updates on the ongoing militant activity and security deployments in their particular area of operations and heed any directives issued by security forces and local authorities. Travel in southeastern Turkey should be subject to a localised threat assessment and only undertaken with comprehensive security risk management measures in place.
Copyright © 2024 Drum Cussac
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