Turkey Will Hand Over Key Base in Iraq 09/24 06:31

   

   ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey has agreed to gradually withdraw forces from a 
https://apnews.com/general-news-b5ebc0dd350545d0bfc5041b05decc6a in northern 
Iraq and hand over its control to the Iraqi government, following a meeting 
between the two countries' leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General 
Assembly in New York.

   Iraq, meanwhile, pledged to remove armed groups that Turkey considers 
security threats from 
https://apnews.com/article/yazidis-returning-home-islamic-state-onslaught-iraq-d
dbc0ba91d98d84e46fbac8fb6626b46 in northwestern Iraq, according to a joint 
statement issued after the meeting late Wednesday between Turkish President 
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.

   "In light of the progress Iraq has achieved through security measures, 
Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashiqa-Zelikan camp to the Iraqi 
federal government, in accordance with the agreed-upon mechanism and timeline," 
according to the joint statement released by Erdogan and al-Zaidi's offices.

   Turkey and Iraq also agreed to "fully extend the authority of the Iraqi 
state in Sinjar and to end the presence of banned foreign armed elements," the 
statement read.

   The strategically-located Bashiqa base has long been an issue of contention 
between Turkey and Iraq, with Turkey failing to fully withdraw forces, despite 
previous discussions for their removal. Turkey established a military presence 
there in 2015 to support operations against the Islamic State group and help 
secure the region.

   Although Turkey maintains several bases in northern Iraq for operations 
against the militant https://apnews.com/hub/kurdistan-workers-party, or PKK, 
the Bashiqa camp is Turkey's furthest base from its border.

   Turkey, for its part, has long been pressing Iraq to curb groups with links 
to the PKK and other non-state armed groups from operating in Sinjar.

   The Iraqi government announced earlier this month that the Sinjar Resistance 
Units, a Yazidi militia affiliated with the PKK, had agreed to disarm and 
eligible fighters would be integrated into the Iraqi security forces. The group 
played a significant role in the fight against IS, but was seen by Turkey as a 
threat because of its PKK affiliation.

   The agreement came as the 
https://apnews.com/article/iraq-us-withdrawal-militias-deadline-e13bf0d6b0389e76
d74e8fda9577e734 in Iraq, with officials saying the hundreds of troops 
remaining in northern Iraq will be out by a Sept. 30 deadline.

   Turkey, meanwhile, is engaged 
https://apnews.com/article/turkey-pkk-peace-initiative-erdogan-approval-c42dcbcd
10bbbbfc6ce954b8a46f2225 with the PKK aimed at ending a decades-long conflict. 
The group, whose fighters have launched attacks on Turkish targets from bases 
in northern Iraq, has agreed to disband and lay down arms as part of the effort.