Turkey and Iraq confirm agreements on Sinjar and the transfer of the Bashika base

Confirmation of the agreements of September 23

On Sunday, November 8, 2026, Turkey and Iraq reaffirmed their commitment to restoring full state authority in Sinjar and ending the presence of PKK elements, which Ankara considers a terrorist organization. This follows from a joint press statement published by the Directorate of Communications of Turkey (Anadolu).

What exactly is set out in the statement

The parties reaffirmed their determination to continue the 'commendable steps' taken by the Iraqi authorities to restore state authority in Sinjar, in accordance with the agreement reached by the leaders of the two countries on September 23, 2026. The Turkish side announced that it would begin taking the necessary steps for the phased transfer of the Bashika-Zilkan base to the Iraqi federal government under the same leaders' agreement. In addition, the parties decided to activate the previously agreed Joint Committee on Security Coordination to jointly verify and monitor the progress of the process launched in Sinjar aimed at fully ending the PKK's presence.

Practical significance

The statement records three elements: confirmation of the previously reached political framework of September 23, the announcement of the start of a concrete process — the transfer of the Turkish Bashika-Zilkan base to Iraq's federal control — and the launch of an oversight mechanism in the form of the Joint Committee on Security Coordination. The statement contains no timeline for the base's transfer or details on the committee's work; the publication provides no information on these matters.