Erdoğan pledges to ease Iraq's water shortage

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pledged on March 21 to step up the flow of water along the Tigris River to drought-stricken Iraq for one month.

Erdoğan told Iraq's visiting Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani that he was aware of the "urgent need for water" in Türkiye's war-scarred neighbour.

Official Iraqi statistics show the level of the Tigris entering the country last year dropping to just 35 percent of its average over the past century.

"For one month, we have taken the decision to increase the volume of water flowing along the Tigris River," Erdoğan told a joint media appearance with Sudani.

"The issue of water will hopefully be resolved," Erdoğan said.

Erdoğan's comments received a warm welcome from the Iraqi premier during his first official visit to Türkiye since assuming office last October.

"I want to express my gratitude and thanks to the president from the Iraqi people," Sudani said.

Erdoğan repeated his demand for Iraq to recognize the PKK as a terror group.

Sudani said only that Iraq recognized Türkiye's security concerns.

"We won't allow Iraq to be used as a launching pad for attacks on Türkiye," he said.