Germany extends military mandate in Iraq by one year

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Germany’s armed forces will continue their deployment in Iraq for an additional 12 months to help stabilize the country and prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS), the German Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.

"The German government has decided to extend the deployment of the [German Armed Forces] in Iraq until January 31, 2027," the ministry said in a statement, noting that the mission " aims to sustainably equip the regular Iraqi armed and security forces to ensure security and stability in Iraq and to prevent a resurgence of ISIS."

The statement added, “The Federal Armed Forces will train and advise the Iraqi armed and security forces to this end.”

The ministry said the extension of the mandate came at the request of the Iraqi government. “The Iraqi government requested the continuation of support from Germany, as the threat of ISIS remains,” it said, adding that German troops in Iraq are “supporting the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI).”

The current mandate expires on January 31, 2026, the statement detailed.

Germany’s military involvement in Iraq began in August 2014, initially providing military equipment - including anti-tank missiles and assault rifles - to Kurdish Peshmerga forces. In October 2014, German troops were deployed to Erbil to train Peshmerga fighters, marking Berlin’s first operational presence in the region.

Germany is also a major contributor to the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI), launched in 2018 at the request of Baghdad. The mission is non-combat and focuses on advising and building the capacity of Iraqi security institutions, enabling them to independently counter terrorism and prevent any resurgence of ISIS.

“The essential content of the mandate remains unchanged, allowing for up to 500 German soldiers to be deployed in Iraq,” the ministry said, noting that the Bundestag still needs to approve the extension.

In addition to military support, Germany has provided substantial civilian aid. The German Foreign Ministry told Rudaw in mid-August that Berlin has delivered over €3 billion in humanitarian, development, and stabilization assistance to Iraq.

This includes €800 million ($933 million) in humanitarian aid and €2.6 billion ($3 billion) for stabilization programs between 2014 and 2022, supporting initiatives such as psychosocial services and rehabilitation programs for survivors of ISIS atrocities.

Most of Germany's soldiers are stationed in the Kurdistan Region.