BAGHDAD, 24th September, 2026 (WAM) -- Iraq and Türkiye agreed on Wednesday to end the Turkish military presence at the Bashiqa-Zilkan base in northern Iraq and gradually hand it over to the Iraqi federal government under an agreed mechanism and timetable.
A joint statement issued following talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly said the two sides had agreed to deepen security cooperation across various fields.
They also agreed on fully establishing Iraqi state authority in Sinjar, in Nineveh Governorate, and ending the presence of proscribed foreign armed elements there.
The statement said the handover of the base follows progress made by Iraq through security measures on the ground.
The two sides also agreed to expand bilateral trade and investment, immediately implement previously signed agreements and accelerate joint strategic projects.