Turkey intends to send 25 military advisors to Iraq within scope of NATO mission

ANKARA / BAGHDAD — The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced via Twitter that as part of the mission of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Iraq, Turkish military advisers were sent to Baghdad to support the Iraqi army.

“25 Turkish personalities, including a brigadier general will serve in the NATO mission in Iraq,” the ministry added.

As part of NATO Mission Iraq (NM-I), our Military Consultants were dispatched to Baghdad to support the friendly and brotherly Iraqi Army.

A total of 25 personnel, including one Brigadier General will serve in NATO Mission Iraq. #WeAreNATO https://t.co/37I11bMiI0

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) January 26, 2021

On Tuesday, Iraq and NATO discussed cooperation in the training of Iraq’s military and security institutions during 2021 during a meeting between Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji and NATO Assistant Secretary-General John Manza.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the Iraqi National Security Adviser, “Al-Araji discussed with Manza the mechanism for developing the work of the NATO Mission in Iraq. They also agreed on the requirements to support federal security, military, and intelligence institutions in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), through training and advice.”

“In 2021, Iraq will be supported by NATO, in all the fields it needs,” Manza stated.