Melike Pala
19 March 2026•Update: 20 March 2026
BRUSSELS
Nearly 100 Spanish military personnel deployed to Iraq have been evacuated to Türkiye amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Thursday.
Robles confirmed that the first group of soldiers was flown to Türkiye due to the deteriorating security situation, and an additional 200 troops are expected to be evacuated "in the coming hours," news agency EFE reported.
Of those already evacuated, 57 were serving with the US‑led coalition Inherent Resolve, tasked with combating the ISIS (Daesh) terror group, and 42 were part of the NATO Mission in Iraq (NMI), said Robles.
The evacuation of the 42 NATO personnel was "very complicated," she said, explaining that operations were hindered by missile exchanges near their base.
The soldiers arrived at the Incirlik Air Base near Adana in southern Türkiye, where Spain has also deployed an additional 150 troops and a Patriot air defense battery.
Robles said there remain about 350 NATO personnel in Iraq, including 200 Spanish service members, still awaiting evacuation amid "a very complex" security environment.
She said American and German aircraft have assisted in the evacuation, and Madrid has three aircraft pre‑positioned in the area, ready to leave when a "window of opportunity" emerges.
"It is not easy, there is crossfire," Robles said.
On the broader mission in Iraq, the minister noted that NATO decided to adjust operations in response to the escalating crisis, and participating countries remain coordinated.
She did not specify the future course of the mission, saying it depends on how events unfold.
Robles also commented on Spain's peacekeeping contingent in Lebanon, numbering nearly 670 troops under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
She described an intense night of bombing that forced troops to shelter in bunkers for hours, and said attacks have continued into Thursday, heightening concerns due to crossfire from multiple directions.
