Turkey says it will gradually hand over control of its Bashiqa-Zilkan military base in northern Iraq to the Iraqi federal government. In a joint statement announced by the Turkish presidency and Iraq, the countries say the transfer follows progress tied to “security measures implemented by Iraq.” Turkish forces will proceed under an “agreed mechanism and timetable,” with the handover framed as gradual rather than immediate.
The announcement comes after a meeting on Wednesday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in New York, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The South China Morning Post and Middle East Eye both report the same basic details from the joint statement and describe the transfer as linked to security improvements in the area. Both outlets, citing AFP in their summaries, present the move primarily as an administrative and operational transition in line with prior agreements between Turkey and Iraq, without adding broader interpretations or disputes.
Overall, coverage is consistent on what is being transferred, where the base is located, who receives control, and that the decision is connected to security steps and a negotiated schedule.
