BAGHDAD: Türkiye and Iraq have agreed to gradually transfer control of the Bashiqa-Zilkan military base in northern Iraq to Baghdad, marking a significant development in security relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The two sides also agreed to deepen security cooperation and strengthen coordination on several issues affecting northern Iraq.
Under the agreement, Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashiqa-Zilkan base to the Iraqi federal government according to a mutually agreed mechanism and timetable. Officials did not provide a specific date for the beginning or completion of the transfer.
The base, located northeast of Mosul, has been a longstanding point of tension between Ankara and Baghdad. Türkiye established the military facility in 2015 during the campaign against the Islamic State group, with Turkish forces training local fighters in the area. Baghdad had objected to the Turkish military presence, arguing that it raised questions about Iraqi sovereignty.
Focus on Sinjar Security
The Bashiqa agreement is part of a broader understanding covering security arrangements in northern Iraq.
According to the joint statement, Türkiye and Iraq agreed to work toward fully restoring Iraqi state authority in Sinjar, an area in Nineveh province, while ending the presence of prohibited foreign armed groups there. The two governments also agreed to strengthen cooperation along their shared border.
Sinjar has remained a sensitive security zone because of the presence of armed groups and Turkey’s military operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which Ankara considers a terrorist organisation. The latest agreement links the strengthening of Iraqi state control with closer security coordination between Baghdad and Ankara.
Economic Ties Also on Agenda
The agreement extends beyond military and security matters. The two countries also pledged to increase bilateral trade and investment, implement previously signed agreements and accelerate major joint projects.
Among the projects highlighted was Iraq’s Development Road, an ambitious infrastructure and transport initiative intended to connect Iraq with regional markets and strengthen trade routes.
The latest understanding comes as both governments seek to manage sensitive security issues through bilateral coordination while expanding economic cooperation.
For Baghdad, the gradual transfer of the Bashiqa-Zilkan facility represents a step toward consolidating federal authority in northern Iraq. For Ankara, the agreement provides a framework for continued security coordination with Iraq while addressing one of the most contentious issues in bilateral relations.
The two governments are now expected to work through the agreed mechanism and timetable to implement the handover, alongside wider measures covering Sinjar, border security, trade and strategic cooperation.
