On March 20—exactly 23 years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq—Norway and its NATO partners began withdrawing personnel from the country due to the deteriorating security situation, the Norwegian Ministry of Defence announced in a press release.
(Map: Blue indicates locations struck by the U.S. and Israel; Red indicates locations struck by Iran, Hezbollah, and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). Credit: Wikipedia, © OpenStreetMap contributors.)
The announcement regarding Iraq followed Norway’s signing of a joint statement on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz alongside leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Romania, Bahrain, and Lithuania.
The statement continues: “Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international law, as established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The consequences of Iran’s actions will be felt globally, impacting the most vulnerable populations.”
Casualties continue to mount across the region. According to the Iranian Health Ministry, at least 1,444 people have been killed in Iran since the U.S.-Israeli campaign, dubbed “Epic Fury,” began on February 28. This figure includes 168 children killed in a strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab on the first day of the conflict, according to Al Jazeera. In Lebanon, at least 1,001 deaths have been attributed to Israeli attacks.
Retaliatory Iranian strikes have claimed at least 18 lives in Israel, eight in the United Arab Emirates (including nationals from Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh), six in Kuwait, and two each in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. In Iraq, health authorities report 61 fatalities, the majority of whom were members of the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), according to Al Jazeera.
Regarding the press release “NATO is withdrawing personnel from Iraq,” the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on March 20 (translated from Norwegian):
“Due to the steadily deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, NATO is withdrawing its personnel from NATO Mission Iraq. Norwegian personnel associated with this mission have also now been withdrawn from Iraq.
‘The situation in the Middle East is very serious and deeply concerning. We are continuously monitoring the security situation and evaluating ongoing changes regarding the presence of Norwegian personnel in the region. This is being done in close coordination with our allies. NATO is withdrawing personnel from Iraq now because the security situation has worsened recently,’ says Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik.
NATO asked allies to make air resources available to transport personnel out of Iraq. Norway contributed a Hercules transport aircraft and support personnel. So far, this has not been used for flights to Iraq, but it is planned to be used to fly personnel from Turkey onward to other countries in Europe.
‘It is important for Norway to contribute when NATO asks for support in this situation. I am glad that the withdrawal has been successful and that the personnel have made it out of Iraq safely,’ says Sandvik.
Norway has a small number of people attached to NATO Mission Iraq. NATO support for Iraq will continue for the time being from a temporary location at the NATO headquarters in Naples.
The Ministry of Defence confirms that this was the matter handled in the Council of State on Wednesday, March 18. Out of concern for the safety of personnel and the mission, this matter was therefore classified until the operation was completed.”
***
