NATO Moves Troops from Iraq Amid Middle East Escalation, Next Mission to Europe

Illustration of NATO headquarters. (Wikimedia Commons/U.S. Department of State)

NATO has moved all personnel from its mission in Iraq to Europe, the alliance said on Friday, March 20.

The reason for the transfer is due to a change in operational posture amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East.

In a statement, the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Forces in Europe confirmed that NATO Mission personnel in Iraq had been safely relocated from the Middle East, with the last staff leaving Iraq on March 20.

"I want to thank the Republic of Iraq and all the Allies who helped in the safe evacuation of NATO personnel from Iraq," said General Alexus Grynkewich, the highest-ranking NATO ally in Europe, quoted via Antara, Saturday, March 21.

He also praised mission personnel for maintaining operations during the transition period. After the relocation, the NATO Mission in Iraq will continue its work from the Combined Forces Command in Naples, Italy, the statement added.

The mission remains a non-combat mission focused on advising and building the capacity of Iraqi security institutions, it noted.

The statement said that the mission's goal was to help Iraq develop a sustainable, transparent and inclusive security force capable of maintaining stability, fighting terrorism and preventing the resurgence of the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group.

Since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, which has so far killed about 1,300 people, including the then-supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hostilities have escalated.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf states hosting US military assets.