For over a decade, Turkish military boots have stayed firmly planted in northern Iraq, triggering endless friction with Baghdad over national sovereignty. But things are shifting. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and inked a deal to gradually hand back the strategic Bashiqa-Zelikan military base to the federal government.
So, will Turkey completely end its military presence in northern Iraq? Not quite. But the nature of that presence is undergoing its biggest transformation since Turkish forces first dug in near Mosul back in 2015.
The Bashiqa Handover Explained
Let's look at what's actually changing on the ground. The Bashiqa base—situated northeast of Mosul in the Nineveh Plains—was originally set up to train local forces and Sunni fighters gearing up to battle the Islamic State. Baghdad hated it from day one, routinely calling it an illegal violation of Iraqi sovereignty.
Now, Ankara has agreed to return control of Bashiqa to Baghdad in phases. Why the sudden change of heart? Simple: domestic security calculations in Turkey have shifted. With ongoing peace initiatives and efforts to push for the disarmament of groups like the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)—including recent security commitments from local Yazidi groups in Sinjar agreeing to hand over their weapons—Ankara feels it has more breathing room.
Iraqi military sources estimate the phased transition of Bashiqa and smaller surrounding outposts could wrap up as early as late 2026. US special envoy Tom Barrack even took to social media to praise the move, noting that Iraqi sovereignty and Turkish security are finally finding some common ground.
Don't Mistake a Base Handover for a Total Withdrawal
If you think Turkish troops are packing up and leaving Iraqi Kurdistan entirely, you're looking at the wrong map. Bashiqa is unique because it sits outside the rugged border mountains, right on the plains between Erbil and Dohuk.
Turkey's heavy military footprint rests primarily in the mountainous border zones of northern Iraq. Those high-altitude outposts exist for one core reason: counter-terrorism operations targeting PKK positions. Ankara views those mountain bases as absolute non-negotiable lines of defense.
The agreement to clear out of Bashiqa doesn't mean the Turkish military is abandoning its broader regional strategy. Instead, it's a calculated trade-off. Baghdad gets a long-sought diplomatic victory and restored state authority in turbulent spots like Sinjar. Turkey gets cooperation on neutralizing militant threats without having to garrison flatland bases that constantly sour bilateral relations.
What Comes Next for Ankara and Baghdad
Trade and economics are driving this sudden diplomatic warmth just as much as security. Both governments are eager to fast-track the ambitious Development Road project—a massive rail and highway network designed to link the Gulf through Iraq directly to Turkey and European markets. You can't run multi-billion-dollar transit corridors while your troops are trading artillery fire or diplomatic insults with your business partners.
Expect a carefully managed, slow-motion transfer of the Bashiqa facility over the coming months. Watch how Baghdad handles local security integration in Sinjar, because that's the ultimate test of whether this bilateral bargain holds together. If Iraq can maintain state control over its borders and internal factions, Turkey might just find fewer reasons to keep its footprint so heavy.
