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ARCHIVE - Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles speaks during the joint press conference with German Defense Minister Pistorius. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa
Keystone
Due to the war with Iran and the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, Spain has temporarily redeployed its special forces deployed in Iraq. According to the Ministry of Defense in Madrid, the military personnel have been transferred to safe locations without incident and are in good health. The tasks assigned to the Spanish special forces "cannot currently be carried out" in Iraq, it said.
According to the state television station RTVE, a total of around 300 members of the Spanish armed forces are deployed in two missions in Iraq: In the US-led operation "Inherent Resolve" against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) and in the Nato training mission, in which a Spanish general is due to take command in June.
The deployment of the special forces was carried out in close coordination with the Iraqi authorities and the international coalition, the Spanish Ministry of Defense emphasized. However, Spain's commitment to stability in Iraq remains unchanged. Madrid did not initially say exactly where the troops were being deployed and for how long.
Following a drone attack on a military base in northern Iraq, Italy also prepared to withdraw its troops: 102 soldiers are already back in Italy, 75 have been transferred to Jordan. According to information from Friday, a transfer by land was to be organized for the others to return to Italy. It was only on Friday that France announced that one soldier had been killed and several others injured in a similar attack on French troops in Iraq; President Emmanuel Macron described the attack as unacceptable.
15.03.2026, 21:12
