Shafaq News- London/ Baghdad

The United Kingdom pledged continued support for Iraq’s security and stability on Wednesday as the US-led Coalition formally ended its military mission against ISIS in the country and Coalition forces, including British personnel, departed.

In a statement, the UK government said Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Kurdish Peshmerga are now positioned to assume primary responsibility for the country’s security after more than a decade of Coalition operations, training and capacity-building.

It described the transition as “a new chapter focused on enduring security cooperation under Iraqi leadership,” with the two countries set to develop a long-term bilateral defense partnership covering counterterrorism, military education, capability development, defense industry cooperation and shared security interests.

The UK contributed to the Coalition mission through Operation SHADER, training and assisting more than 111,000 Iraqi security personnel, including over 21,000 Peshmerga, in infantry, weapons maintenance, counter-IED, medical and engineering skills, according to the statement. The Royal Air Force also conducted thousands of sorties, striking more than 2,300 ISIS targets and providing surveillance and reconnaissance in support of Iraqi ground operations.

“Our commitment to Iraq and the wider region remains steadfast,” the government affirmed.

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