On Thursday, 23 January, the Saeima adopted a decision on extending the term of the National Armed Forces (NAF) troops' participation in counter-terrorism operation in Iraq until 1 February 2022.
Currently, 10 Latvian military instructors, as full members of the Danish contingent, are engaged in training Iraqi security forces. According to the explanatory note attached to the decision, the NAF contingent is engaged only in tasks related to military training.
On 14 January 2016, the Saeima decided to deploy the NAF troops for participation in the multinational coalition military operation against the terrorist organisation ISIL/Da'esh in Iraq, specifically to train Iraqi military forces until 1 February 2018. The Saeima decision of 7 December 2017 extended the NAF troops deployment until 1 February 2020.
ISIL/Da’esh engages in underground operations, with combatants committing assaults on Kurd settlements in Iraq and Syria; the organisation is highly adaptive and aims to expand globally. It is pointed out in the explanatory note that it is important to prevent the organisation from gaining substantial support elsewhere, which would enable ISIL/Da’esh to grow outside Iraq and Syria.
According to the explanatory note, Latvia is committed to providing continuous contribution to international security, specifically by strengthening and developing Iraqi security forces, providing training, supporting allies in common efforts to prevent ISIL/Da’esh attacks, as well as blocking the organisation's further expansion and growth of influence.
Saeima Press Service