Turkey to transfer Bashiqa base in northern Iraq to Baghdad

Turkey announced that it will gradually hand over control of its Bashiqa military base in northern Iraq to the Iraqi government. The decision was confirmed by officials from Ankara and Baghdad on Wednesday.

The transfer is presented as a step to strengthen Iraqi state authority and to ease a long‑running source of tension between the two neighbours. The handover will be carried out gradually, according to the statements from both governments.