The handover of control of the strategically important military base of Bashiqa-Zilkan in northern Iraq to the government of Baghdad will be officially carried out. The process of handing over the authority has been announced through an official diplomatic note after high-level negotiations between President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in New York at the United Nations General Assembly.
This deal between both countries is a big step towards improving their relations and also improving the territorial integrity of Iraq. Under the security arrangement, forces from Iraq will gradually take control of the base, although no timeline has been announced for the withdrawal process. US diplomatic representatives praised the pact as a critical development that simultaneously safeguards Turkish defense interests while reinforcing federal governance in Baghdad.
The facility, situated near Mosul, was originally established in late 2015 with authorization from the Kurdistan Regional Government. Turkey maintained a troop contingent of roughly 600 personnel at the site to counter cross-border insurgent activities. However, the presence of these forces frequently triggered official protests from Iraqi authorities, who consistently denounced the foreign military footprint as an infringement on national sovereignty.
Beyond security disengagement, the bilateral dialogue reflects broader political and economic realignment between the neighboring states. Both nations reaffirmed commitments to accelerate joint strategic infrastructure initiatives, including major cross-border transit corridors designed to enhance trade volume. This diplomatic push aims to leverage improved regional stability into long-term commercial ties and shared water management frameworks.
This strategic withdrawal follows significant geopolitical shifts across northern Iraq, notably the May 2025 dissolution and subsequent disarming of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Alongside the base transition, both nations pledged to completely restore central authority in the Sinjar district by disarming localized insurgent factions and removing non-state armed groups. Iraqi officials previously confirmed that local Yazidi militias agreed to surrender heavy weaponry, clearing the path for national police and federal administrative bodies to secure the region permanently.
