Ankara and Baghdad have agreed that Turkey will progressively transfer control of its Bashiqa military base in northern Iraq to the Iraqi federal government, a move designed to bolster state authority and alleviate longstanding friction between the two neighbors, officials announced on Wednesday.
The declaration emerged from a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In a joint statement, both sides confirmed that “in light of progress achieved by these security measures implemented by Iraq, Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashiqa-Zilkan base to the Federal Government of Iraq in accordance with the agreed mechanism and timetable.” The specific schedule for the handover was not disclosed.
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria and Iraq, welcomed the development, describing it as a significant turning point for regional stability. “History rarely announces its turning points; it stitches them quietly. Ankara returning Zilkan to Baghdad by agreed mechanism and timeline is one such thread: Iraqi sovereignty and Turkish security, both served,” he wrote on social media platform X.
Turkey initially established the military facility in Bashiqa in December 2015 with the consent of the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region. Reports indicate Ankara deployed approximately 600 soldiers to the site, a deployment that consistently drew accusations from Baghdad of violating Iraqi sovereignty.
During the same Wednesday meeting, Ankara and Baghdad also committed to fully restoring state authority in the Sinjar region and removing illegal foreign armed elements. Turkey has previously conducted military operations in Sinjar targeting fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
This cooperation follows a broader peace process between the two nations. The PKK announced the dissolution of its armed wing in May 2025 and conducted a symbolic disarmament ceremony in northern Iraq in July 2025. While Turkish authorities note that only a small number of fighters remain, the agreement marks a shift in security dynamics. Additionally, Baghdad announced in early September that Sinjar would come under the full jurisdiction of federal security and administrative institutions, following an agreement with Yazidi armed groups to surrender their weapons to the state.
So we go from military occupation to… agreed mechanism? Sounds good on paper, but implementation is where it always falls apart.
It’s about time they addressed the Sinjar jurisdiction issue directly. Regional stability depends on more than just moving troops around.
I’m skeptical. Transferring a base is one thing, but can Ankara really trust Baghdad to keep PKK elements out of Sinjar long-term?
Wait, so Turkey set this up with the Kurds back in 2015? That explains why Baghdad was so upset about sovereignty violations all these years.
Finally, a tangible step toward peace. I hope this handover sticks and doesn’t just become another political PR stunt.