Hashd al-Shaabi Kirkuk Forces Spokesperson Hacı İmad Ali responded to Erdoğan’s claims that Hashd al-Shaabi would kill Sunnis in Tal Afar and Mosul.

Hacı İmad Ali said “The comments of Turkish President Erdoğan on Hashd al-Shaabi are not true and we do not accept them. Erdoğan is attacking the sacred land of Iraq in order to hide his defeat in internal politics. We are a force that is trying to protect the lives of citizens in Iraq. For us, it does not matter if these citizens are Kurdish or Sunni or Shia Arab. Our duty is to defend them and this is what we are doing. Erdoğan claims that Sunni citizens are oppressed but this is far from being true. Erdoğan is saying these things to deepen the chaos in Iraq and separate the people here.”

Hacı İmad Ali stated that Erdoğan is attacking Iraq in order to hide the daily deaths of soldiers from the Turkish public, adding: “Erdoğan should first solve the problems within Turkey. If Erdoğan is telling the truth, he should first solve his own problems. Tens of soldiers are killed in Turkey every day. Erdoğan is attacking the sacred land of Iraq to hide his defeat. He doesn’t even give his citizens their rights, how is he going to give rights to Sunni citizens? We respect a country that respects us. For this reason, we do not accept Erdoğan’s claims, which will not yield any results.”