Newsletters
Germany plans to close its military field camp near Erbil airport in northern Iraq by the end of September and withdraw most of its troops, Der Spiegel reported Friday.
The German Defense Ministry has notified parliament of the decision to shut down the camp, according to the report.
The move comes as the base has faced repeated threats in recent months amid rising regional tensions following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. German forces were not directly targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks, but their proximity to U.S. units forced soldiers to spend many nights in bunkers, Der Spiegel said.
Defense Ministry spokeswoman Christiane Noack confirmed that the ministry had briefed the relevant parliamentary committees but declined to provide further details on the timeline or other aspects of the withdrawal, citing the safety of deployed troops.
“This will be a matter of detailed planning—it is not a case of a hasty withdrawal,” Noack told a press conference in Berlin.
Noack said the path forward had been determined in close coordination with Germany’s partners.
“As you know, there is an exit strategy for every mission, and the path forward has now been mapped out in close coordination with our partners,” she said.
Germany will withdraw most of its troops from the field camp near Erbil airport by the end of September, while maintaining a limited presence in the region.
Noack said a smaller team of military advisers will remain to continue supporting Kurdish Peshmerga forces.
The decision follows months of heightened security concerns around the base as tensions escalated in the region after the strikes on Iran.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
