Turkmeneli refers to the proposed homeland of the Iraqi Turkmen, a Turkic speaking population concentrated in a north south belt running from Tal Afar through Mosul, Erbil, Kirkuk, and Tuz Khurmatu. The Turkmen presence in Iraq dates back to the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, when various waves of migration created a culturally cohesive community distinct from Arabs and Kurds.

Under Ottoman rule the Turkmen played an important administrative and military role and maintained strong connections to Anatolia.  The establishment of modern Iraq in the twentieth century brought significant change. Turkmen communities often found themselves caught between larger Arab and Kurdish political forces. Centralized governance limited linguistic rights, and demographic competition in key cities intensified tensions. During the Saddam Hussein era Turkmen populations were targeted through Arabisation campaigns, land seizures, and political marginalisation.  After 2003 the decentralization of Iraq led to renewed Turkmen activism. Various organisations pressed for cultural rights, political representation, and recognition of Turkmeneli as a distinct region. Some advocates promote a federal Turkmeneli Region or an eventual independent state, arguing that Turkmen identity requires territorial guarantees similar to other groups in Iraq.

Turkmeneli functions as a unifying national concept, symbolizing cultural heritage and the desire for self governance. While full independence is not universally sought, the vision of Turkmeneli reflects ongoing efforts to protect community rights within a complex and often contested political environment.