The German government is to extend the deployment of armed German troops in Iraq. The soldiers are helping carry forward the fight against IS terrorists and stabilise Iraq as a whole.
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The German government is initially extending the Iraq mandate for a period of seven months, as an expression of its interest in further stabilising Iraq. The German troops can be deployed provided the legal prerequisites are in place and the mandate is approved by the German Bundestag. The mandate is limited until 31 October.
The Bundeswehr mission in northern Iraq has been successful, and the IS has been largely forced back, in military terms. The training received by the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters contributed largely to this success. The training is provided in conjunction with other partners in Erbil in northern Iraq. There is now no need to continue the training mandate in northern Iraq. This mission will thus be ended.
The German contribution is designed to support the international anti-IS coalition’s Operation "Inherent Resolve". The ceiling on Bundeswehr troops for the Iraq mission will be significantly reduced from 1,200 soldiers to 800. The focus will move away from deployment across the entire country to focus more on training and reconnaissance. In addition to providing training for the fight against IS, the Bundeswehr is now to provide advisory services, said Federal Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, speaking on the the breakfast television programme of the German public broadcaster ARD.
"How do you build a ministry? How do you put in place a medical care system for soldiers? We intend to have two bases, one in Baghdad with the central government and one in Erbil." This is a new type of responsibility stressed Ursula von der Leyen.
The support provided to date in the form of mid-air refuelling and reconnaissance using NATO Tornados and AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft will continue, but in future the Bundeswehr will no longer be part of the sea-based mission in the Mediterranean.
The German mission within the international anti-IS coalition also serves to build capacities in Iraq. To this end the Bundeswehr is training security forces in Iraq and advising them.
The German military contribution remains embedded in a broad civilian approach. Overarching goals remain an all-encompassing political solution to bring peace to Syria, the long-term political stabilisation and economic development of Iraq and sustainably combating the IS terrorist organisation.
Legal basis
The planned mission will enable Germany to support Iraq and the international anti-IS coalition. It is based on the right to collective self-defence pursuant to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter within the scope of relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, in particular Resolution 2249 (20 November 2015). Germany is thus making a contribution in response to a request lodged by the Iraqi government and in agreement with the Iraqi government. The military successes achieved in recent months against the IS do not mean that the right to self-defence has ended, because the armed attacks of the IS continue.