Estonia to withdraw its troops from in US-led coalitionin Iraq
The Estonian Minister of Defense, Hanno Pevkur, stated on Thursday that its forces will withdraw from the US-led Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), a military operation aiming to defeat ISIS and increase regional stability, according to the Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR), an Estonian publicly funded and owned radio and television organization.
The Estonian military has been contributing to the mission since 2023, with about 80 Estonian servicemen now stationed in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, Erbil.
Estonian troops have to get used to a new culture, sweltering heat, and a rapidly changing security situation. The Estonians believe that training alongside allies and acquiring experience in a battle zone is particularly beneficial.
The Estonian troops are gradually packing up at the base. However, this does not imply that they will totally disappear from the region. One staff officer will remain at the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) in Baghdad, according to Estonia's ERR.
Pevkur mentioned in a statement that recent developments in the Middle East have a clear impact on the region's already unstable security situation, but Iraq remains stable.
According to Pevkur, the stability Iraq witnesses allows Estonian troops to end their involvement in the military operation and focus on strengthening Estonia's national defense.
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