Erdogan in Iraq to push for reset of ties, cooperation against PKK

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan began a rare visit to Iraq on Monday aiming to reset ties between the Middle East neighbors by inking a raft of deals covering security cooperation against Kurdish PKK militants, energy and trade.

His long-awaited visit is the first by a Turkish leader since 2011 and follows years of rocky relations as Ankara ramped up cross-border operations against PKK militants based in mainly Kurdish, mountainous northern Iraq.

Iraq has said such operations violate its sovereignty and have killed civilians, but Turkey says it must protect itself against the PKK, which it, the US and others have designated as a terrorist group.

Turkey plans a new swoop on the militants this spring and has sought Iraqi military cooperation, in the form of a joint operations room, as well as recognition by Baghdad that the PKK poses a threat to Turkey.