Following the announcement of a meeting between Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the two counterparts have agreed for the total withdrawal of all Turkish soldiers illegally stationed in the Bashiqa region near Mosul.
Iraqi television quoted al-Abadi confirming an agreement reached with Turkey on the withdrawal of Turkish troops from northern Iraq.
Turkish Prime Minister Ben Ali Yildirim is expected to also meet President Fuad Masum and Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jubouri following his meeting with Abadi, as well as community leaders of Iraq’s Turkmen minority.
The deployment of Turkish troops near Mosul caused a political showdown between the two states, with the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units vowing to rid Iraq of Turkish troops after defeating ISIS. Iraq also considered its options of attacking the illegally stationed Turkish troops.
