Militär: Letzte Bundeswehr-Soldaten aus Irak zurückgekehrt

The last contingent of German Bundeswehr soldiers returned from Iraq to Germany, marking the end of a decade-long presence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Generalleutnant Günter Katz addressed this at a ceremony at Fliegerhorst Wunstorf near Hannover. Katz indicated that the fight against the terror group ISIS was the central focus of Germany's involvement in Erbil since 2015.

Many German soldiers had contributed to regional stability, including advising the Kurdish security force, the Peshmerga. In recent months, the security situation had become increasingly tense, with attacks occurring across the region, including at the German base. The withdrawal was marked by multiple adjustments. The German government respects Iraq's decision to take full responsibility for its security.

However, the government is already working to lay the groundwork for future cooperation with Iraqi security forces, particularly the Peshmerga. The state secretary in the Defense Ministry, Nils Hilmer, noted that the last months saw a heightened security situation, with attacks across the region. The withdrawal was in line with the stance of Foreign Minister Johann Wadholf, who had previously stated that Germany would maintain a strong commitment with the German military in Erbil for political reasons.

The field camp in Erbil was handed over to Iraqi forces, as Germany had participated in the international fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria since 2015. This included support for the US-led anti-ISIS coalition, Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), and efforts to strengthen Iraq's security sector. The focus of OIR has since shifted from Iraq to Syria.

The German involvement therefore ended on September 30th after a discussion with the Iraqi government. The structures in Erbil were dismantled and the multinational base handed over to Iraqi security authorities. On Wednesday, the US military had also completely withdrawn from Iraq, ending a period of sometimes controversial military interventions in the Middle East aimed at toppling former leader Saddam Hussein and combating the ISIS terror group.