Turkey-Iraq Joint Statement: Steps Begin for Bashika-Zilikan Handover

Turkey has formally announced that it will take action to gradually transfer the Bashika-Zilikan military facility in Iraq to the Iraqi Federal Government. In a joint press statement released by the Presidential Communications Directorate, it was announced that Turkey will take this step and the two countries will establish a joint security coordination committee.

The statement recalled the agreement reached between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zeydi in New York on September 23, 2024. In that meeting, it was decided that Turkish forces would hand over the facility to Iraq according to a determined mechanism and timeline, in exchange for Iraq fully establishing state authority in Sinjar and eliminating the presence of PKK elements in the region.

Three concrete decisions stand out in the new statement: First, the two sides reaffirmed their joint will regarding the continuation of steps taken by Iraqi authorities in Sinjar. Second, the Turkish side declared that it would "begin taking the steps incumbent upon it" toward the gradual transfer of the facility. Third, it was decided to activate the Joint Security Coordination Committee for the purpose of monitoring the complete elimination of the PKK's presence in Sinjar.

The statement did not specify a complete transfer timeline; it appears that the process will depend on the progress of security conditions in Sinjar.