The Turkish presidency announced on Wednesday that Turkish military forces will begin the process of transferring control of the Bashiqa-Zilkan base, located in northern Iraq, to the Iraqi government. This decision was formalized in a joint statement issued following high-level meetings between officials from both nations.

The agreement marks a shift in the security landscape of northern Iraq, where Turkey has maintained a military presence for years to conduct operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). According to the joint statement, the handover is a direct result of the progress made by Iraq in implementing new security measures. The transition will not be immediate; instead, it will follow a specific mechanism and timetable agreed upon by both Baghdad and Ankara to ensure a smooth transfer of authority.

While the announcement highlights a cooperative diplomatic effort, the specific details regarding the exact timeline or the future status of Turkish personnel remaining in other parts of the region were not fully disclosed in the initial report. The move is viewed by analysts as a significant step in normalizing security relations between the two neighbors, though the long-term implications for regional counter-terrorism operations remain a subject of ongoing discussion.