Italy ends 12-year troop presence in Iraq
Italy on Tuesday completed the withdrawal of its last troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year military presence in the country, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Rome had already recalled most of its personnel from Iraq by March 2026, after an overnight airstrike targeted a military base in the Kurdistan region.
Italian forces took part in the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve against Islamic State and in NATO Mission Iraq, a non-combat advisory and capacity-building mission. The statement said Italian and NATO forces had agreed with local authorities to leave the area by September 30.
Defence minister Guido Crosetto said the withdrawal marked a transition towards greater Iraqi responsibility for its own security.
Two Italian Carabinieri officers will remain in Iraq under the European Union’s EUAM Iraq mission, which operates with the Iraqi government’s approval, the ministry said.
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