Turkiye to transfer Bashiqa base to Iraq under phased troop withdrawal agreement

Turkiye will transfer control of the Bashiqa-Zelikan military base in northern Iraq to the Iraqi government under a phased withdrawal agreement, according to a joint statement released by the offices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi following their meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York. The agreement also includes Iraqi commitments to address armed groups in the Sinjar region that Turkiye has identified as security threats, according to the statement. The development coincides with the United States’ planned end to its military presence in Iraq, as reported by US officials.