Germany to Scale Back Military Presence in Erbil - Shafaq News
- On Friday, Germany announced plans to close its military camp at Erbil International Airport and withdraw troops by the end of September, Spiegel reported following a Defense Committee briefing.
- German troops have been stationed in Erbil for years as part of the Global Coalition against the Islamic State, providing training and support to Kurdish Peshmerga forces while Berlin has sharply reduced its presence in the Middle East due to security risks.
- The Defense Ministry told lawmakers the accelerated withdrawal is necessary because a planned drawdown of protection forces would leave personnel exposed without Patriot air defense systems, with Germany coordinating the move with coalition partners.
- While reducing its footprint, Germany will maintain a team of military advisers at the embassy to support the Peshmerga. "No single partner is decisive here. Rather, it is all of them together," a spokesperson told a press conference.
- Security concerns remain high in Iraq, where Italy previously withdrew troops from Erbil after a missile strike, and an Iraqi armed group earlier targeted a French base in Makhmour, killing a soldier.
12 Articles
12 Articles
The Bundeswehr is expected to close its field camp at the airport of the northern Iraqi city of Erbil by the end of September. The background is the withdrawal of troops from the US and other states from the Kurdish metropolis, as the Federal Ministry of Defence and Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) explained on Friday in Berlin. However, the government is expected to continue the German engagement there in a reduced form. The magaz…
In 2015, the Federal Government sent the Bundeswehr to northern Iraq to contain the advance of the terrorist militia "Islamic State". In Erbil, the soldiers train Kurdish Peshmerga. However, after the withdrawal of the US from the camp, the Bundeswehr is also packing its bags.
Germany is ending its presence in the Erbil camp. Military advisors of the Bundeswehr are supposed to continue to support Kurdish security forces in Iraq.
Germany will withdraw its troops from the base in the Iraqi city of Erbil by the end of September.
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