MSB Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk made statements at a press briefing in Kayseri marking the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the 2nd Air Maintenance Factory Directorate. MSB announced that the Başika-Zilkan Complex, which has been used in the fight against Daesh since 2015, would be gradually handed over to Iraq under a defined mechanism and timetable, in line with progress in security practices in Sinjar. It was stated that steps by the Central Iraqi Government to strengthen state authority in the region would contribute to the goals of normalization, stability and a terror-free region.
The ministry stated that cable laying, pipeline construction or scientific research on the continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean must be coordinated in advance and that unauthorized activities would not be permitted. The meeting held in Riyadh on September 25, 2026, by the chiefs of general staff of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye under the Mecca Defense Alliance addressed military cooperation, coordination, capability integration, deterrence and collective defense.
It was argued that the military crossing in GKRY was increasing tensions through armament and military cooperation; it was noted that measures with the TRNC would continue for the security and well-being of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Why it matters
The key factor in the Başika-Zilkan file is that the handover decision is linked not merely to a step in itself, but to the strengthening of state authority in Iraq and progress in security practices in Sinjar. This framework brings to the fore questions about how security responsibility will be shared and under what conditions the transition will be carried out. The statement on the Eastern Mediterranean highlights the military coordination aspect of infrastructure and research activities on the continental shelf, while showing that the stance toward unauthorized initiatives remains unchanged. The meeting in Riyadh and the assessments regarding Cyprus show that Türkiye addresses cooperation, deterrence and measures together in its regional security approach; however, no concrete implementation timetable has been shared on these issues.
Background
Iraq is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 7 news reports mentioning this name in the last 90 days; the latest was dated September 27, 2026.