“Lithuania will continue delivering on its commitments and support the collective Alliance’s decisions to consolidate stability in Iraq,” Minister A. Anušauskas says. NATO Minister of Defence decided to expand the NATO Mission Iraq on the basis of a request from the Government of Iraq and through close coordination with the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
Lithuania will respond to the agreement of the NATO Defence Ministers by deploying a Force Protection Unit to Baghdad in October 2021 through May 2022. It will serve in composition of the Danish Contingent. The NATO Mission Iraq has been carried out since 2018. Two Lithuanian soldiers are currently serving in the mission launched to support local defence authorities and education institutions in Baghdad and surrounding areas. They are not involved in combat actions.
When addressing the way ahead for NATO’s Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan agreed to continue the close monitoring and assessment of the situation in the country. “Lithuanian stands by all the other allies in staunch support of the Afghan peace process,” Minister of National Defence A. Anušauskas. NATO involvement in the country was modified according to the peace efforts and developments in Afghanistan. Ministers agreed unanimously that peace and stability remained to be the sought end state and the level of violence was not acceptable, including the attacks the Taliban was carrying out against civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Lithuania has 40 soldiers in Resolute Support, NATO operation launched to train and support local security forces.
