Turkish intel chief visits Kirkuk after Baghdad talks

The head of the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MİT), İbrahim Kalın, paid a visit to Iraq’s northern city of Kirkuk on Wednesday, where he inspected the historic Kirkuk Citadel and visited the Turkish martyrs' cemetery. Kalın was welcomed at Kirkuk International Airport by Governor Mohammed Saman Agha, who also heads the Iraqi Turkmen Front.

Meetings with local officials

Kalın’s first stop was the Kirkuk Citadel, where he conducted inspections and paid respects at the cemetery of Turkish martyrs. He later visited the Iraqi Turkmen Front headquarters, meeting with Turkmen officials, and held further talks with Governor Agha at the governor’s office. The discussions are believed to have focused on the security situation in the province, the protection of Turkmen rights, and broader regional stability.

Diplomatic engagements in Baghdad

Prior to his Kirkuk visit, Kalın held a series of high‑level meetings in the Iraqi capital on Monday. He met with President Nizar Amidi, Parliament Speaker Haibat al‑Halbousi, Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zaidan, National Security Adviser Basim al‑Badri, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, and other key political figures. The talks centred on strengthening security and intelligence cooperation between Türkiye and Iraq, with a particular focus on counter‑terrorism and border security. For Ankara, which has long sought to address threats from PKK elements based in northern Iraq, Kalın’s visit underscores Türkiye’s commitment to deepening its security partnership with Baghdad while also engaging directly with local authorities in Kirkuk, a city with a significant Turkmen population.