The German army resumes the training of Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region.
The basis for the decision, which was announced by the Operations Command of the German military, was a joint decision by the headquarters of the coalition against IS and multinational partners.
The training mission was interrupted due to the conflict between the USA and Iran after the US assasinated the Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and Hashd-al-Shaabi Commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a targeted missile attack in Baghdad at the night of 3 January. In response, Iran fired missiles at bases used by US troops in Iraq.
Around 90 German soldiers are currently stationed in Erbil. The German army offers two training courses for Peshmerga instructors there. Since 6.00 a.m. German time, operations have already been resumed.
In central Iraq, however, training will remain suspended for the time being. The German troops stationed in Baghdad and Taji were transferred to Jordan at the beginning of January for security reasons.
After the assasination of General Soleimani, the Iraqi parliament had demanded the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country. In a resolution to this effect, it called on the government in Baghdad to withdraw its request for assistance in the fight against the IS and to initiate the withdrawal of all troops.
According to German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD), however, the resigned but provisionally still in office Prime Minister Adel Abdul al-Mahdi spoke out in favour of continuing the German military training mission. This was confirmed by al-Mahdi to representatives of the federal government, the SPD politician had stated in the German Parliament. Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) sounded out possibilities for continuing the international mission against the IS in Baghdad.
The German army had already resumed its reconnaissance flights in the region. Tornado jets are still in service from the Jordanian airbase al-Asrak until the end of March. They are set to track down hiding places of the IS in Syria and Iraq.
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