Iraq and NATO discuss military training and cooperation in Baghdad meeting

BAGHDAD — Iraq and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed to enhance cooperation in military training and the exchange of expertise during a meeting Thursday between Iraq’s National Security Adviser Qasim Al-Araji and Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chairman of NATO’s Military Committee.

According to a statement from Al-Araji’s office, the two sides discussed ways to strengthen ties, particularly in areas of training, consultation, and knowledge exchange. Al-Araji stressed that “the NATO mission in Iraq is an advisory mission, not a combat mission.”

He added that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s recent visit to Brussels reflects Iraq’s commitment to bolstering its relations with NATO members in pursuit of shared interests.

In September this year, Al-Sudani addressed leaders and representatives of the North Atlantic Council at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, stressing Iraq’s desire for a partnership with the alliance based on sovereign decision-making. The visit came at the invitation of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Al-Sudani underlined Iraq’s commitment to building a “constructive partnership with NATO based on a sovereign decision,” describing it as comprehensive and extending across multiple fields.

Al-Araji also emphasized the importance of closing Syria’s Al-Hol camp. “Iraq is working to voluntarily repatriate the every Iraqi citizen from the camp,” he said, adding that the country has successfully reintegrated returning families. “This file is primarily humanitarian in nature,” he said.

Iraq has stepped up coordination with international partners to push for the dismantling of the camp in northeast Syria, which Iraqi officials describe as a hub for extremist influence and recruitment, particularly among women and children. The Ministry of Migration and Displacement has warned that prolonged isolation inside the camp fuels radicalization and poses a direct threat to regional security.

Officials say more than 20,000 Iraqis have been repatriated from al-Hol so far, with fewer than 4,000 remaining. Returnees are transferred to the Jadaa Community Rehabilitation Center in Nineveh, where they undergo security screening, psychological support and reintegration programs before returning to their home districts.