BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 26. Türkiye has
withdrawn its military contingent from Iraq under a
NATO-coordinated extraction plan amid escalating tensions in the
Middle East, the Turkish Ministry of Defense stated, Trend reports.
“The Armed Forces continue to contribute to peace and stability
across a wide geography through international missions and
bilateral relations. In light of recent developments in the region,
a decision has been made to withdraw personnel from NATO’s mission
in Iraq.
Following this decision, the personnel of the Turkish Armed
Forces stationed in Baghdad have been successfully evacuated. Our
country also assisted in the withdrawal of allied personnel under
the NATO-coordinated extraction plan,” said Turkish Defense
Ministry spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk.
Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between
the United States and Iran over the nuclear program, the U.S. and
Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In
response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and
U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region,
starting the same day.
On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Iran’s Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking
military officials were killed. On March 8, Iran’s Assembly of
Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s third Supreme
Leader by majority vote.
From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded
further, affecting several countries across the Middle East.
According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 13
dead and more than 140 wounded.
The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the region’s
energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have
surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around
the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their
citizens to leave the region.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News
Agency's WhatsApp channel
