Defense Minister Yaşar Güler affirmed that troops may stay longer in neighboring Iraq and Syria, "until border security is fully ensured." Güler was answering questions by AFP on Tuesday.
"We are maintaining our military presence in Iraq and Syria. When we assess that the necessary conditions have been met in terms of regional and border security, the status of our base areas and our presence in the region will be reconsidered," he said in a written answer to AFP questions.
At the height of civil war in Syria, Türkiye launched cross-border offensives, driving out terrorist groups YPG and Daesh from the northern regions close to the border. In Iraq, it carried out operations against the terrorist group PKK which is now in the phase of dissolution after the launch of the terror-free Türkiye initiative in 2024.
Bashiqa-Zilkan, a key Turkish base in Iraq, is expected to be handed over to Iraqi authorities. The development, which comes amid the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, which remained there as part of an anti-Daesh coalition, signaled the start of a new era for Iraq and Türkiye.
The Ministry of National Defense said in a statement earlier this month that the handover of the base did not mean an end to cooperation with Iraq and, on the contrary, Türkiye would continue supporting Iraq’s security and stability.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the steps in a joint statement following talks in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.