Turkish troops to withdraw from military base in Iraq

The Turkish Armed Forces’ contingent stationed at the Zlikan military base in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is to be completely withdrawn by the end of 2026.

TodayPress TV reports that this was announced by Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, in an interview with Al-Iraqiya News.

“The phased withdrawal of Turkish forces from the Zlikan camp in the Bashiqa area will begin in November,” Ali al-Zeidi said.

According to the spokesperson, Türkiye’s military presence at the base will come to an end by the end of the year, and the facility will be handed over to Iraqi security forces.

Al-Numan said the Iraq-Türkiye Joint Security Committee had already begun work on transferring the Zlikan base and strengthening security measures in the Sinjar region.

He added that the committee’s activities would be intensified in the near future to ensure the process is completed within the established timeframe.