Türkiye has decided to transfer the Bashika military base in northern Iraq to Iraqi authorities after more than a decade of Turkish military presence at the facility.

Spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of National Defense Zeki Aktürk announced that the handover would take place in stages, according to ntv.com.

The decision takes into account the progress made by Iraq’s federal government in maintaining security in the Sinjar area, Aktürk said.

Turkish forces have been stationed at the Bashika-Zilkan base since 2015, using the facility as part of operations against the Islamic State (ISIS), a terrorist organization banned in Türkiye and several other countries.