Italy completes troop withdrawal from Iraq
Italy has ended its 12-year military presence in Iraq, with two Carabinieri officers remaining under an EU mission.
A view shows the city of Baghdad, Iraq, on 20 March, 2023. Photo: Reuters
Italy on Tuesday completed the withdrawal of its last troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year military presence in the country, a defence ministry statement said.
- Rome had already recalled most of its personnel from Iraq by March 2026, after an overnight airstrike targeted a military base in the Kurdistan region.
- Italian forces took part in the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve against Islamic State and in Nato Mission Iraq, a non-combat advisory and capacity-building mission.
- The statement said Italian and Nato forces had agreed with local authorities to leave the area by 30 September.
- Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the withdrawal marked a transition towards greater Iraqi responsibility for its own security.
- Two Italian Carabinieri officers will remain in Iraq under the European Union's EUAM Iraq mission, which operates with the Iraqi government's approval, the ministry said.
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