NATO
Today (6 May 2021), Lieutenant-General Michael Lollesgaard of the Danish Armed Forces assumed command of the NATO Mission Iraq, following a ceremony held in Baghdad. He succeeds Lieutenant General Per Olsen of the Danish Armed Forces, who had commanded the mission since November 2020.
“I thank Lieutenant General Olsen for his service,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. “And I welcome Lieutenant General Lollesgaard as the new commander of our mission, wish him success during his tenure, and look forward to working with him, as we continue our efforts to advise the Iraqi security institutions and armed forces, as requested by the Iraqi government.”
Iraq Praises West s Fight Against ISIS, Syria Says It Only Made Things Worse
On 3/10/21 at 6:33 PM EST
Iraqi officials have offered praise for the West s continued support in the country s war on the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), but their Syrian counterparts see efforts by Europe and the United States as most damaging to the country as it prepares to mark 10 years of civil war.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein spoke via telephone Wednesday with U.S.-led NATO Western military alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, discussing ways to continue cooperation between Iraq and NATO within the framework of the full sovereignty of Iraq and the decisions of the Iraqi government in their joint security mission that emerged after the rapid rise of ISIS in 2014.