The Diplomat
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will travel on the 27th and 28th to Iraq, where the Spanish military is participating in a training operation for the Armed Forces of that country, as reported yesterday by the Presidency of the Government.
Moncloa indicated that the trip is part of the traditional visit that the President of the Government makes at the end of the year to one of the Spanish military missions abroad, in this case, that of Iraq. In 2022, he traveled to Lebanon to meet with Spanish troops in the United Nations Interim Force Mission for Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Before flying to Iraq, Sánchez will hold a video conference today, also common on Christmas Eve, with all missions abroad.
On Wednesday the 27th, he will preside over the Council of Ministers and, after appearing before journalists at the Moncloa Palace, to take stock of the year, he will embark on a trip to Baghdad, where he will meet with Iraqi authorities and visit the Spanish soldiers participating in the so-called NATO Mission-Iraq (NMI).
Since May 24, the NMI has been under the command of Spanish Lieutenant General José Antonio Agüero Martínez, who took over from General Giovanni M. Iannucci.
The Spanish military trains the Iraqi Army as part of the international coalition to fight against Daesh. Since October 2018, the government of Iraq has also been advised in the field of the national security structure, as well as developing its military professional education system.
Around 150 Spanish soldiers contribute to the international coalition with the objective of training and qualifying the Iraqi security forces in their fight against Daesh, according to the Ministry of Defense.
In addition to training, Spain has helicopters dedicated to transportation deployed in Iraq. Currently, these tasks are carried out by Spanish instructors at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center, where units of the Iraqi counterterrorism service (CTS) are trained by members of the Coalition’s Special Operations Unit (SOTG).
Also part of the Spanish contingent in Iraq are the soldiers belonging to Task Force Toro (Helicopter Unit) deployed at the Al Asad air base whose main mission is to provide air transportation to the troops of the Coalition, counting on Chinook and Cougar helicopters.
