Iraq is intensifying security measures along its 384-kilometer border with Turkey through increased coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s Peshmerga forces and the deployment of advanced surveillance systems, a military spokesperson announced on Sunday.

Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, told Rudaw that Baghdad is prioritizing territorial protection by upgrading security infrastructure and implementing cutting-edge technology. The measures include establishing new outposts equipped with modern logistical systems and additional border stations designed to address the region’s challenging terrain and strategic significance.

The Iraqi-Turkish border spans the northern Kurdish-majority provinces of Erbil and Duhok, governed by the KRG. The rugged, mountainous landscape has long complicated border security efforts. Parts of the frontier remain loosely controlled by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a Kurdish armed group engaged in a decades-long conflict with Turkey.

Ankara has repeatedly cited the PKK’s presence as justification for military operations in northern Iraq, including airstrikes, artillery shelling, and the establishment of forward bases. In March 2024, Iraq officially banned the PKK, a decision welcomed by Turkey. However, Baghdad has resisted Turkish pressure to label the group as a terrorist organization.

In August 2024, Iraq and Turkey signed a security cooperation memorandum aimed partly at countering the PKK, which Turkey designates as a terrorist organization. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized the need to turn counter-terrorism understandings into "concrete on-the-ground actions."

Despite these efforts, clashes between Turkish forces and the PKK continue to impact civilians. According to the U.S.-based human rights group Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), the conflict has displaced 1,190 villages—either fully or partially—and claimed the lives of 721 civilians as of March 2025.

The latest security enhancements reflect Iraq’s attempt to assert greater control over its border regions while balancing complex relations with both the KRG and Turkey.