Ankara welcomes Iraqi takeover of Sinjar security
Shafaq News- Ankara
Turkiye's Defense Ministry on Wednesday welcomed the Iraqi government's moves to extend state authority in Sinjar, considering it an important step toward lasting stability in the northwestern district.
Ending the presence of "terrorist organizations" in Sinjar and placing security in the hands of Iraqi forces serves the goal of a terror-free region, the ministry said in a statement, adding that Ankara is following the process closely.
Progress on security in Sinjar has allowed arrangements to move ahead for handing the Bashiqa-Zilkan base, near Mosul, to Iraqi authorities under an agreed mechanism and timetable, according to the ministry, and Turkiye would continue supporting Iraq in training, military and security cooperation, and counterterrorism.
The statement came two days after Baghdad began ending the independent military status of the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS), a Yazidi armed group linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), integrating its fighters into state security institutions and transferring security on Mount Sinjar to federal authorities.
In September, Iraq and Turkiye agreed to restore full state authority in Sinjar as part of an arrangement under which Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashiqa-Zilkan base.
Read more: YBŞ deal secures Sinjar’s mountain, leaves its administration unresolved
