Eduardo González
The 200 Spanish soldiers who remained in Iraq have been successfully evacuated to Turkey and other countries after a complex operation launched following the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, the Ministry of Defense reported.
“A group of approximately one hundred Spanish soldiers had already been transferred to a safe area in Turkey,” the Ministry added. “These members of the Armed Forces are scheduled to fly to Spain in the coming hours from Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base,” it specified.
The Spanish military personnel deployed in Iraq were part of the international coalition against jihadism, Operation Inherent Resolve, specifically training and equipping Iraqi security forces in their fight against Daesh, and of the NATO Mission in Iraq (NMI), which aims to help strengthen Iraqi security forces and was commanded by Lieutenant General José Antonio Agüero from May 2023 for a period of one year.
Last Wednesday, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, confirmed that the evacuation and relocation of the Spanish contingent in Iraq would take place “in the coming days” for security reasons and due to the deteriorating situation in the Middle East caused by the US and Israeli offensive against Iran. In statements to the EFE news agency, NATO spokesperson Allison Hart reported that same Wednesday that the Alliance had decided to “adjust” its mission in Iraq because the safety of its personnel is “paramount.”
On March 13, a French soldier was killed and at least six others were wounded in an Iranian attack on the Erbil military base in Iraq, where French forces have been participating in the fight against terrorism since 2015. This is the first European casualty since the outbreak of the conflict instigated by Israel and the US against Tehran.
Lebanon
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister José Manjel Albares warned on Friday that the situation in Lebanon “is critical,” with “more than one million displaced people, more than 1,000 dead, and thousands wounded.”
“Israel’s offensive in Lebanon must stop now. The destruction of bridges over the Litani River constitutes the unacceptable isolation of part of the country’s territory,” he wrote. “We condemn the destruction of homes in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon by Israel, which is contrary to the principles of international humanitarian law, as well as Hezbollah’s rocket fire. It is imperative that the victims have access to medical services,” he continued. “Our Armed Forces deployed with UNIFIL (the UN mission) are performing exemplary work for the stability of Lebanon and security in the region,” he emphasized. “We support the Lebanese government and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country. Spain stands with them, and with the civilian population,” he concluded.
