Turkiye to Exit Key Iraq Base, Baghdad Pledges Sinjar Cleanup

Turkiye agreement to gradually withdraw its forces from the Bashiqa-Zelikan military camp in northern Iraq marks a big moment for regional stability. This breakthrough, announced after a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the UN General Assembly, is tied to Baghdad's promise to clear out 'banned foreign armed groups' from the sensitive Sinjar region. This move addresses a long-standing issue between the two countries and could reshape the security landscape in northern Iraq. For years, the Bashiqa-Zelikan camp has been a sore point, with Turkiye deploying troops there in 2015 to help fight ISIS, a step Iraq considered a violation of its sovereignty. Turkiye, for its part, has consistently pressed Iraq to control groups like the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which operates from northern Iraq and is seen as a major threat by Ankara. Recent developments, including the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS), a PKK-affiliated Yazidi militia, agreeing to disarm and join Iraqi security forces earlier this month, paved the way for this current agreement. This push by Prime Minister al-Zaidi's government to bring all armed groups under state control is key. While a firm timeline for the complete withdrawal from Bashiqa-Zelikan hasn't been officially shared, some Iraqi military sources suggest the process could wrap up by the end of 2026. This agreement comes as the US is also pulling its remaining troops from Iraq by a September 30 deadline, marking a significant shift in foreign military presence in the country. The focus now turns to Iraq ability to truly assert its control over Sinjar and manage security without external forces, while also seeing how Turkiye peace efforts with the PKK continue. This complex dance between national security, regional stability, and internal control will be closely watched.