NATO weighs return to Iraq after wartime evacuation

NATO is exploring options to resume its advisory mission in Iraq, former commander General Christophe Hintzy told AFP this week.yahoo+1
The non-combat mission was evacuated to Naples in March after Iranian missile strikes targeted European bases in northern Iraq.pbs+1
Hintzy said any return would be "a significantly smaller operation," though no timeline or troop numbers have been set.yahoo

NATO's advisory mission to Iraq, which was fully evacuated to southern Italy amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, could return to Baghdad in the coming months, the mission's former commander said this week.

French General Christophe Hintzy, who handed command of NATO Mission Iraq to Spanish General Ramon Armada during a change-of-command ceremony this week, told AFP that "the general staff is working on various options" to allow the mission to resume operations inside Iraq.yahoo+1

A Smaller Footprint

Hintzy indicated that multiple scenarios are under consideration for a phased return but cautioned that the mission would look different from its previous form. "We will not return in the same format. It will be a significantly smaller operation," he said, without providing specific troop numbers.yahoo

The non-combat mission, which advises Iraqi security forces on building sustainable institutions and preventing the resurgence of ISIS, has been operating remotely from NATO's Joint Force Command headquarters in Naples since its withdrawal.pbs+1

The March Evacuation

NATO suspended the mission in mid-March after Iranian missile strikes targeted troops stationed at British, French, and Italian bases in northern Iraq as the broader Middle East conflict intensified. Several hundred personnel were relocated to Europe in what NATO described as a temporary measure. The alliance said at the time it remained committed to the mission's objectives and would maintain advisory work from Naples.defence24+2

Uncertain Timeline

The path back to Baghdad remains uncertain. "We have no idea" exactly when a return might happen, Hintzy acknowledged, adding, "But the determination is in our bones". The incoming commander, Lieutenant General Armada, now faces the task of translating planning options into an operational timeline while conditions in Iraq and the wider region remain volatile.youtube

NATO Mission Iraq was established in 2018 at the request of the Iraqi government to help the country's security forces become self-sufficient enough to combat terrorism independently.nato

Sources (15)