BRUSSELS – NATO announced the complete withdrawal of its advisory mission personnel from Iraq on Friday, relocating several hundred troops to Europe as the Iran war’s fallout engulfs the Middle East.
US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, thanked Iraq and allied nations for facilitating the safe evacuation in a statement. He praised the mission’s staff as “true professionals” who persisted despite rising threats from the Gulf region’s volatility.
The non-combat mission, focused on training Iraqi security forces against terrorism like ISIS, will now operate from NATO’s Naples, Italy headquarters. Recent pullouts by Poland, Spain, and Croatia signal broader allied caution following US and Israeli strikes on Iran.