NATO Mission Iraq: SVK Army soldiers and Military Police personnel to be engaged in Iraq

Slovak Army soldiers and Military Police personnel will be engaged in Iraq as part of the non-combat NATO Mission Iraq, while cooperating with the US and ITA Armed Forces. The Security Council and the Cabinet today (17 October) approved the mandate to deploy 42 personnel to Iraq in stages this year and next year. Their task will be to train and advise Iraqi military personnel and to reform the local defence and security institutions. The deployment proposal still needs to get the go-ahead from the Parliament.
 
Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “Slovakia will again send a signal that it is ready to help wherever needed. What matters to us is eliminating security threats in all directions, including the fight against terrorism.” He made it clear that SVK soldiers will be involved in a training mission, not a combat one. The mandate for the deployment of 42 Army and MP personnel will enable Slovakia to dispatch 10 Army professionals and 2 military policemen this year, with the rest deploying to Iraq in 2019.
 
While the task of our military policemen, to be stationed at the bases in Bagdad and Erbil, will be to participate in training the police elements of the Iraqi defence and security forces, SVK Army personnel will operate in training and advisory roles for the security components of the Republic of Iraq, including support to the fight against ISIL.
 
The NATO Mission Iraq was established following the transformation of the NATO Training and Capacity Building in Iraq (NTCB-I). Taking place at the invitation of the Republic of Iraq, the SVK Army and MP deployment to the Republic of Iraq will be implemented as per NATOʼs decision on the mission, the approved mandate and international law. Separate agreements will govern the cooperation between the SVK Armed Forces with the US and ITA Armed Forces in Iraq.