NATO withdraws troops from Iraq mission to Europe as Iran war rages

Published 20 Mar, 2026 09:56pm 1 min read

NATO has withdrawn all of its troops ​from an advisory mission in Iraq, the military ‌alliance said on Friday, as the repercussions of the Iran war spread across the Middle East.

“I would like to thank ​the Republic of Iraq and all the Allies ​who assisted in the safe relocation of ⁠NATO personnel from Iraq,” U.S. Air Force Gen. ​Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said in ​a statement.

The statement said the mission had relocated “all its personnel” from the Middle East to Europe. A NATO official, speaking ​on condition of anonymity, said that amounted to “several ​hundred” troops.

In recent days, several countries including Poland, Spain and Croatia ‌have ⁠announced they have withdrawn troops from the Middle East, citing the conflict in Iran and the wider Gulf region.

NATO said its mission would continue from ​a military headquarters ​in Naples, ⁠Italy. The mission does not have a combat role. It focuses on advising ​Iraqi security forces and helping them build ​up ⁠their capacities, according to NATO.

“I would also like to thank the dedicated men and women of NATO ⁠Mission Iraq, ​who continued their mission throughout ​this period. They are true professionals,“ Grynkewich said.

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