Erdogan, Iraqi premier agree on security cooperation, base handover

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani agreed on Wednesday to deepen security cooperation between Ankara and Baghdad, with a focus on restoring state authority in northern Iraq's Sinjar region and eliminating banned foreign armed groups. The leaders met on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

According to a joint statement issued after the talks, the two countries committed to ending the presence of unauthorized militias in Sinjar. "In line with the progress made by Iraq in implementing these security measures, Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashika-Zilkan facility to the Federal Government of Iraq, in accordance with the agreed mechanism and timeline," the statement said.

Trade and strategic projects

The leaders also agreed to expand bilateral trade and accelerate joint strategic initiatives, particularly the Development Road Project, which aims to bolster regional connectivity and facilitate trade between the Gulf and Europe. They reviewed all aspects of the strategic relationship between Türkiye and Iraq during the meeting, emphasizing economic integration alongside security coordination.

Diplomatic context

Erdogan traveled to New York to attend the high-level session of the UN General Assembly, which opened earlier this week. The meeting with al-Sudani formed part of a series of diplomatic engagements aimed at reinforcing Ankara's regional partnerships, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.