Turkey has agreed to a phased transfer of the Bashiqa-Zilkan military base in northern Iraq to Baghdad’s control, following a bilateral meeting in New York.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met on the sidelines of the latest UN General Assembly to finalize the agreement.
Outlined measures also commit both nations to eliminating “proscribed foreign armed elements” from northern Iraq and restoring full state authority in Sinjar.
Ankara initially established the base near Mosul in 2015 to train local forces against the Islamic State, triggering long-standing diplomatic friction with Baghdad over sovereignty concerns.
That move involved the deployment of approximately 600 Turkish Armed Forces personnel in the region.
“In parallel to the progress achieved by the Republic of Iraq in implementing these security measures, the Government of the Republic of Türkiye reaffirms its commitment to a gradual handover of the Bashiqa-Zilkan Camp, in accordance with agreed-upon mechanisms and timelines,” the governments wrote in a joint statement.
Critical Turning Point
The planned withdrawal coincides with the Middle Eastern country’s broader efforts to disarm local militias and assert federal control over border regions.
Alongside military handovers, both leaders agreed to deepen bilateral security cooperation, expand trade and investment, and accelerate regional infrastructure projects, including the joint Development Road initiative.
Reacting to the progress in New York, US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Presidential Envoy for Iraq Tom Barrack praised the accord, framing it as important cooperation for both countries.
“History rarely announces its turning points; it stitches them quietly,” Barrack stated.
“Ankara returning Zilkan to Baghdad by agreed mechanism and timeline is one such thread: Iraqi sovereignty and Turkish security, both served. What looks like chaos from afar is a region weaving its own order.”
