After the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took control of Mosul, the group has also mobilized to capture many Turkmen (Iraqi Turkmen) dominated regions in the north of Iraq.

On Monday [15 June 2014], Telafer, a predominately Turkmen city, has fallen to al-Qaeda-inspired ISIL after a battle that resulted in many casualties. In this city where Sunnis and Shiites are nearly equally distributed, ISIL incursions led to a great upheaval, producing a de facto division of the city along sectarian lines.

 
While Sunni families fled to the east of city, Shiites fled to the west. It is feared that ISIL will taint the sectarian coexistence in the city. Osman Bahadır Dinçer, an expert on the Middle East from USAK, told the Journal or Turkish Weekly that “there are attempts to trigger sectarianism in the city, even though the Turkmen identity overrides the sectarian identities.” It is reported that in some places, Sunni and Shiite Turkmens are fighting side by side against ISIL, although ISIL mainly targets only Shiite Turkmens.

After ISIL’s attack on the city, almost 200 thousand people, particularly Shiite families, have been forced out of their homes and set out for the Sinjar region which is controlled by the Kurds. 

While ISIL victimizes many Turkmens in the city, it is also reported that while fleeing from ISIL, Iraqi security forces killed around 80 Turkmens in prisons so as to prevent them from joining ISIL fighters. ISIL releases prisoners in the places it captures as a strategy to recruit more members. 

Yesterday, ISIL has also taken over 3 Turkmen villages. ISIL fighters are currently en route to Kirkuk, which is another city inhabited by a substantial population of Turkmens. Previously a Turkmen dominated city, Kirkuk has been exposed to a Kurdization process since the 2003 American invasion. Security in the city is maintained by Kurdish Peshmarga forces and they are on alert for any attacks from ISIL.

 
While there is relatively more security in Kirkuk, concerns have been raised that Kurds have taken control of the city without firing a shot. Before the ISIL attacks, both the forces of Baghdad and the Kurdish Pashmarga were controlling different parts of the disputed oil city of Kirkuk. Turkmens were generally recruited by Iraqi security forces. Already discontent with the ongoing Kurdization of Kirkuk, Turkmens are worried that the Kurds have taken control of city fait accompli. 

Pointing to the concerns of Turkmens, Dinçer commented that “Turkmens have been caught between fires in Iraq. After the long years of Saddam’s suppressive Arabization policies, Turkmens got a historical chance after 2003. They tried to take advantage of these opportunities and their efforts germinated. For instance in the 2005 constitution, Turkmens were recognized as an essential component of Iraq. They were endowed with certain social and political rights, like receiving an education in their mother tongue. It was even constitutionally possible to announce the Turkmen language as an official language in the places where Turkmens were the majority. Yet, none of these things have been practically implemented.” 

Dinçer also underlined that Turkmens greatly expect help from Turkey, saying that “different parties in Iraq get support from various external sources. However, where the Turkmens are concerned, there is only one actor to look towards, and that is Turkey. As the only protector of Turkmens, Turkey should help them out of this egregious situation in which they have been handicapped over and over.”