Turkmen Irak

The Iraqi Turkmens (Turkish: Irak Türkmenleri, عراق تورکمنلری; Arabic: تركمان العراق), also referred to as Iraqi Turks, (Turkish: Irak Türkleri, عراق توركلری; Arabic: أتراك العراق) are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq. Their traditional homeland is in northern Iraq, mainly Kirkuk and Nineveh provinces, with Kirkuk considered by them as their capital. They have close cultural ties with Turkey, and are closely related to Syrian Turkmen. Iraqi Turkmens in Iraq do not identify with the traditionally-nomadic Turkmens of Central Asia.

The exact origin of Iraqi Turkmens is uncertain, but several possible explanations and theories of settlement in the region indicate that they likely originally emerged in Iraq as garrisons established by multiple rulers in various time periods.

The presence of Turkic peoples in what is today Iraq first began in the 7th century when approximately 2,000 They arrived in 674 with the Umayyud conquest of Basra. More Turkic troops settled during the 8th century, from Bukhara to Basra and also Baghdad. During the subsequent Abbasid era, thousands more of Turkmen warriors were brought into Iraq; however, the number of Turkmens who had settled in Iraq were not significant, as a result, the first wave of Turkmens became assimilated into the local Arab population.

The second wave of Turkmens to descend on Iraq were the Turks of the Great Seljuq Empire. Large scale migration of Turkmens in Iraq occurred in 1055 with the invasion of Sultan Tuğrul Bey, the second ruler of the Seljuk dynasty, who intended to repair the holy road to Mecca. For the next 150 years, the Seljuk Turks placed large Turkmen communities along the most valuable routes of northern Iraq, especially Tal Afar, Erbil, Kirkuk, and Mandali, which is now identified by the modern community as Turkmeneli. Many of these settlers assumed positions of military and administrative responsibilities in the Seljuk Empire.