The presence of the PKK terrorist organization in Iraq’s Kirkuk province is on the rise, Iraqi Turkmen Front deputy Erşat Salihi said on Saturday.

In a written statement, Salihi said that PKK members are gathering in the north of Kirkuk, which is becoming a significant problem for the city.

Urging the federal security forces in Kirkuk to enhance security measures and increase controls, Salihi said that the PKK’s growing presence and festivities are a challenge to the Iraqi people, government and parliament.

He said that both the Iraqi central government as well as the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) should take steps to end the presence of the terrorist group in the region and take action.

The PKK terrorist group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, where it plots terrorist attacks against Turkey. The Turkish military regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq. Turkey has long stressed that it will not tolerate terrorist threats posed against its national security and has called on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group. Ankara previously noted that if the expected steps were not taken, it would not shy away from targeting terrorist threats.

Although an agreement was signed between the Iraqi government and the KRG on Oct. 9, 2020, which stipulated ending the PKK's presence in Sinjar, the terrorist organization has stepped up its activities.

Within the scope of the Sinjar deal, a series of security arrangements were to be implemented, including booting out armed groups like the PKK, its affiliates and Iran-backed militias.

Turkey had also been supporting the deal that would contribute to the region’s stability while tackling the PKK.