The Lithuanian military personnel deployed home because Denmark took a decision to draw out its troops from Al-Asad air base in Iraq together with other countries and to start preparing for the NATO Mission Iraq. Lithuanian troops were serving in composition of the Danish Contingent.
The decision was taken by mutual agreement of the leadership of the mission in Iraq and all the participants of the coalition since the mission activities are on the halt at the moment and no training of Iraqi military is taking place. The epidemiological situation in the whole world has also been a factor in the decision.
Lithuania has been contributing six rotating military instructors to train local Iraqi forces as part of CJTF–OIR since early 2017. They were serving in composition of the Danish Contingent in north-western Iraq, Al-Asad air base.
Lithuania’s commitments to coalition partners remain unchanged in the context of redeploying military personnel from Iraq.
Lithuanian troops are currently serving in 10 other NATO, EU, and UN-led international operations.
