Turkiye Begins Troop Withdrawal From Northern Iraq
Turkiye began a gradual withdrawal of its troops from the Zilkan military base in the Bashika area of Iraq's Nineveh province in November 2026 and plans to complete the process by the end of the year.
Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, announced the development in an interview with the Iraqi News Agency.
According to al-Numan, following the departure of Turkish troops, the military installation is expected to come under the control of Iraqi security forces by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
He said the Iraq-Turkiye Joint Security Committee had begun work on transferring the military facility and strengthening security in the Sinjar region.
The agreements reached between the two countries cover the gradual withdrawal of Turkish troops, strengthening the Iraqi government's control over Sinjar, expanding security cooperation and developing economic ties.
Al-Numan said positive security developments in Sinjar had created conditions for the practical implementation of agreements with Ankara.
He added that the Iraqi Army had assumed responsibility for ensuring security in the area, while the process of integrating armed groups into the country's official security institutions had begun.
The Zilkan military base was established in 2015 under an agreement between Turkiye and the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq to train local forces fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization.
In September 2026, Turkiye announced its intention to withdraw its military contingent from Iraqi territory.
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