Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to investigate who is responsible for reported attacks against refugee and Internally Displaced Persons camps in (1) Northern Syria, and (2) Iraq; and what steps they will take to ensure that the perpetrators do not undertake such attacks in future.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports of attacks carried out by Turkey in both Northern Iraq and Syria and continue to follow the situation closely. FCDO Ministers and senior officials regularly reiterate the need for dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians. We welcome recent discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. We welcome the fact that the ceasefire in north west Syria agreed by Turkey and Russia in March 2020 is broadly holding. We are concerned by increased violence in recent months, including frequent airstrikes and daily artillery shelling. It is essential that all parties to the conflict respect the ceasefire and allow humanitarian access. We urge all parties to increase their efforts to adhere to it.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of bombings carried out on 1 February in (1) Iraq, and (2) Northern Syria, which targeted refugee and Internally Displaced People camps, resulting in (a) multiple casualties, and (b) destruction.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports of attacks carried out by Turkey in both Northern Iraq and Syria and continue to follow the situation closely. FCDO Ministers and senior officials regularly reiterate the need for dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians. We welcome recent discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. We welcome the fact that the ceasefire in north west Syria agreed by Turkey and Russia in March 2020 is broadly holding. We are concerned by increased violence in recent months, including frequent airstrikes and daily artillery shelling. It is essential that all parties to the conflict respect the ceasefire and allow humanitarian access. We urge all parties to increase their efforts to adhere to it.
Asked by: Baroness Greengross (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the use of chemical weapons in Northern Iraq by the government of Turkey.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom opposes the use of chemical weapons in all circumstances. We take seriously any credible evidence of the use of chemical weapons. We monitor closely allegations of chemical weapons use in northern Iraq. These remain unsubstantiated. Evidence of chemical weapons use should be provided through appropriate channels to the Technical Secretariat Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Turkish airstrikes in Khanasor, Iraq and the reported targeting of Marwan Badal; and whether they have made representations to the government of Turkey about their attacks in Sinja, Iraq; and if so, what response they have received.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports of airstrikes and the death of Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê (YBS) commander Marwan Badal Khudida. We continue to reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allegations that the government of Turkey is deploying chemical weapons in northern Iraq; and what plans they have to support an independent inquiry into their deployment by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom opposes the use of chemical weapons in all circumstances. We take any credible evidence of the use of chemical weapons very seriously. We have been monitoring the recent allegations of chemical weapons use in northern Iraq but the allegations remain unsubstantiated. Any evidence should be shared with States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention and provided through appropriate channels to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Technical Secretariat.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ask participants at the 26th conference of State Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention to investigate reports of Turkish Forces using (1) tabun, and (2) other poisonous gases, in the Behdinan region of Iraq.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom opposes the use of chemical weapons in all circumstances. We take any credible evidence of the use of chemical weapons very seriously. We have been monitoring the recent allegations of chemical weapons use in northern Iraq but the allegations remain unsubstantiated. Any evidence should be shared with States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention and provided through appropriate channels to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Technical Secretariat. Recent violent protests in connection with these allegations targeting the OPCW headquarters in The Hague were deeply concerning.
We continue to reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians. We welcome discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a proscribed terrorist group, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The Foreign Secretary discussed the stability of Iraq and the KRI with KRI President, Nechirvan Barzani, during his visit to London of 15-17 September.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with what countries the carrier strike group has had (a) engagements and (b) military exercises to date; and what those engagements and military exercises were.
Answered by James Heappey
The table below sets out the countries and/or overseas territories that the UK Carrier Strike Group has interacted with during the 2021 deployment. This also includes activity undertaken by our Integrated Partners, the Netherlands and United States.
Country/ Overseas Territory | Engagement | Military Exercise |
Australia | N/A | Passing Exercise (PASSEX), air interaction, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD. (Five Powers Defence Arrangements Exercise hosted by Malaysia with participants from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK.) Maritime Partnership Exercise (with US and Japan). Press Release |
Bahrain | Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. Press Release | N/A |
Bangladesh | Port Visit to Chattogram. Press Release | PASSEX with the Bangladeshi Navy, training with Bangladesh Special Forces. Press Release |
British Indian Ocean Territory | Port Visit to Diego Garcia. | N/A |
Brunei | Port Visit to Bandar Seri Begawan. | N/A |
Cambodia | Virtual Defence Engagement. | N/A |
Canada | N/A | Exercise PACIFIC CROWN (Pacific Ocean) South China Sea navigation in company. |
Cyprus | Port Visit to Limassol and Larnaca. | N/A |
Djibouti | Port Visit to Djibouti and support to Allied Appreciation Fly Past. Press Release | N/A |
Egypt | Port Visit to Alexandria, Defence Engagement. | N/A |
France | N/A | Exercises Atlantic Trident (North Atlantic) and Gallic Strike (Mediterranean). Press Release |
Georgia | Port Visit to Batumi. | At sea PASSEX with the Georgian Navy. |
Gibraltar | Port Visit and hosted reception at sea. | N/A |
Greece | Port Visit to Piraeus and Souda. | N/A |
Guam | Port visit to Guam. | N/A |
India | Port Visit to Goa and Mumbai. Defence Engagement | Maritime Participation Exercise in the Indian Ocean. Press Release Exercise Konkan Shakti. Press Release |
Indonesia | Port visit to Jakarta and Virtual Defence Engagement. | At sea PASSEX with the Indonesian Navy. |
Iraq | Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. | N/A |
Israel | Port Visit to Haifa. | Exercise Falcon Strike and Exercise Tri-Lightning (both in the Mediterranean). |
Italy | Port Visit to Augusta, Messina and Taranto. Defence Engagement, including a trilateral meeting between the UK, Italy and Turkey which was hosted by the Secretary of State for Defence. Press Release Co Host – North Atlantic Council Defence Engagement. | Exercise Falcon Strike, transit in western Mediterranean. Press Release Cross Deck of F35 between ITS CAVOUR and HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH. Press Release |
Japan | Port visits to Sasebo, Yokosuka, Funakoshi. Reception and capability demonstration. | Exercise PACIFIC CROWN (Pacific Ocean), quad carrier exercise (with two carriers from the USA, one from Japan and HMS Queen Elizabeth), South China Sea navigation in company. Maritime Partnership Exercise (with US and Australia). Passing Exercise in Indian Ocean. Press Release Press Release |
Jordan | Port Visit to Aqaba and participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. | 16 Air Assault Brigade Joint Theatre Entry Exercise. Press Release |
Kenya | Port Visit to Mombasa. Defence Engagement supported by the Minister for the Armed Forces. | Exercise with Kenyan Armed Forces. Press Release |
Kuwait | Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. | N/A |
Malaysia | N/A | PASSEX, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD. |
Malta | Port Visit to Valletta. | N/A |
Montenegro | Port visit to Bar, Reception and Capability Demonstration. Defence Engagement, including an event led by Minister of State (Lords). Press Release Press Release | N/A |
Netherlands | Integrated Partner. | Integrated Partner. |
New Zealand | Not Applicable. | South China Sea Transit in company, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD. |
Oman | Port Visit to Duqm and Muscat which included Defence Engagement led by the Secretary of State for Defence. Press Release Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. | Exercise KHANJAR OMAN and Maritime exercises with the Omani military. Press Release |
Pakistan | Port Visit to Karachi. | Bilateral training exercise with the Pakistani Navy. |
Portugal | Port Visit to Lisbon. | N/A |
Qatar | Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. | N/A |
Republic of Korea | Defence Engagement - at sea reception and capability demonstration. | Search and rescue exercise. Press Release |
Romania | Port Visit to Constanta. | N/A |
Saudi Arabia | Port Visit to Jeddah and Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. | At sea PASSEX with the Royal Saudi Navy. |
Singapore | Port visit to Sembawang. Reception and capability demonstration. | PASSEX including some limited air exercising, participation in Exercise BERSAMA GOLD. Press Release Press Release |
Spain | Port Visit to Alicante, Cartagena, Palma, Barcelona, La Coruna, and Rota. | F-35B Participation in Tactical Leadership programme (TLP). |
Sri Lanka | Port Visit to Colombo. | Search and Rescue Exercise with the Sri Lankan Navy. |
Thailand | Virtual Defence Engagement. | Co-ordinated maritime manoeuvres. Press Release |
Turkey | Port Visit to Istanbul, with Defence Engagement, including a trilateral meeting between the UK, Italy and Turkey which was hosted by the Secretary of State for Defence. Press Release Press Release | N/A |
United Arab Emirates | Participation in the CDS-led Dragon Group. | Air support to Advanced Training and Leadership Course (ATLC). |
Ukraine | Port Visit to Odessa, with Defence Engagement led by the Minister for Defence Procurement. Press Release | At sea PASSEX with the Ukrainian Navy. |
United States of America | Integrated Partner. | Further to being an Integrated Partner, the Carrier Strike Group interacted with additional US assets in dual, tri and quad carrier exercises. Press Release Press Release |
Vietnam | Port Visit to Da Nang and virtual Defence Engagement. | At sea PASSEX with the Vietnamese Navy. |
NATO* | At-sea NATO Ambassadorial visit, hosted by the Minister for Defence Procurement, and capability demonstrations. Press Release | Exercise Steadfast Defender (North Atlantic), Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 - Operation Sea Guardian (Mediterranean). Press Release Press Release |
*Whilst not a country, assets from the UK Carrier Strike Group also participated in NATO-led military exercises and engagements.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Turkey is using chemical weapons in northern Iraq.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We take seriously all allegations of the use of chemical weapons - it is important that the full facts are established. We continue to reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians. We welcome discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a proscribed terrorist group, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The Foreign Secretary discussed the stability of Iraq and the KRI with KRI President, Nechirvan Barzani, during his visit to London of 15-17 September.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recent reports that the Turkish army attacked a village with chemical weapons in the Duhok region of Northern Iraq on 4 September 2021.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We have not made an assessment of this report. We take seriously all allegations of the use of chemical weapons - it is important that the full facts are established. We continue to reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians. We welcome discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a proscribed terrorist group, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Foreign Secretary discussed the stability of Iraq and the KRI with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's President, Nechirvan Barzani, during his visit to London of 15-17 September.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of recent reports that the Turkish army attacked a refugee camp in the Zaxo region of Northern Iraq on 30 August 2021 housing Yazidi refugees displaced during the ISIS genocide.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are aware of reports of an explosion in a refugee camp in Zaxo in Northern Iraq on 30 August. Allegations of attacks against refugee camps are deeply concerning. We continue to reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians. We welcome discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a proscribed terrorist group, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Foreign Secretary discussed the stability of Iraq and the KRI with the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, President Nechirvan Barzani, during his visit to London on the 15-17 September.