Approximately one hundred and fifty Dutch soldiers were scheduled to return from a NATO mission in Iraq in the coming weeks. However, due to the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran, that return has been delayed, according to inquiries by NU.nl. The airspace of Iraq is also closed.
These are soldiers who are in Iraq for the so-called NMI mission, which ends at the end of June. The first group was supposed to return this week. But that was not possible because the airspace is closed.
And if that remains the case, the return of the rest of the soldiers may also be delayed. The soldiers have been in Iraq since January: they replaced a group of other Dutch soldiers at that time.
The airspace of Iraq closed on Friday after the first attack by Israel on Iran. Iraq is on the route between the two countries. Since then, Israel and Iran have been attacking each other every day, so the Iraqi airspace cannot yet be opened safely.
The army is looking at how the Dutch soldiers can still return. “We are looking at alternatives, but it is also an option that the airspace will open again,” a spokesperson told NU.nl. “That can change from day to day. We are monitoring the situation closely.”
Soldiers trained for unpredictable situations
According to the spokesperson, the Ministry of Defense is in close contact with family members in the Netherlands. “It is never pleasant for the home front if your partner comes back later than expected.”
A later return is a risk inherent in military missions. “Our soldiers are trained and prepared to deal with unforeseen and unpredictable situations like these.”
The Dutch soldiers are on NMI mission to protect advisors from various NATO countries in and around the Iraqi capital Baghdad. They are in Iraq to advise the Iraqi defense and security sector. This should ensure that the Iraqi government is resistant to threats from the terrorist group IS and other groups.
The Netherlands participated in the mission in this role from January 2024. In December, it was announced that the participation in the mission would be extended by six months until this month.