Turkey, Iraq Agree Phased Handover Of Bashiqa-Zelikan Base Near Mosul; Vow To Remove 'Outlawed' Armed Groups

Turkey and Iraq announced on Wednesday that they have reached an agreement for Turkish forces to gradually transfer control of the Bashiqa-Zelikan military base near Mosul to the Iraqi government. The deal, reached during talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, also commits both sides to removing 'outlawed foreign armed elements' from northern Iraq.

US President Donald Trump shales hands with Turkish President Recep Erdogan as they attend a multilateral meeting with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

The joint statement issued after the meeting between Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said the leaders agreed to deepen security cooperation and to 'fully establish state authority in Sinjar' — a reference to Kurdish militants based in the mountainous Sinjar area.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attends a multilateral meeting with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

Turkey described the move as part of a broader peace process aimed at disarming militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and ending the decades-long conflict tied to the group. The statement said the base handover will proceed 'in accordance with the agreed-upon mechanism and timeline' and subject to security arrangements implemented by Baghdad.

US President Donald Trump, flanked by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, Turkish President Recep Erdogan, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa, speaks during a multilateral meeting with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

Timeline And Next Steps

An Iraqi military commander familiar with the discussions told reporters the phased withdrawal of Turkish troops from the Bashiqa camp and another small base near Mosul is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Turkey had no immediate public comment on that timetable.

"Within this framework, they reached an agreement on fully establishing state authority in Sinjar and ending the presence of outlawed foreign armed elements," the joint statement said.

Ankara first deployed troops near Mosul in 2015, saying they were there to train and protect Iraqi forces and local Sunni Arab, Turkmen and Kurdish fighters preparing to fight Islamic State after Mosul fell to the group in 2014. The deployment strained relations with Baghdad, which has repeatedly demanded Turkish forces withdraw, while Ankara has argued its presence protects Turkish national security and supports anti-IS training efforts.

Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and the administration's special envoy for Syria and Iraq, welcomed the move, saying it served both Iraqi sovereignty and Turkish security. The joint statement also noted that the two leaders discussed broader bilateral ties and trade and urged swift implementation of previously signed agreements and strategic projects.

How the agreed mechanism will be implemented on the ground — including timelines, verification and security guarantees — will shape whether the handover reduces tensions or leaves unresolved concerns about armed groups and border security in northern Iraq.