International coalition gives Iraq the base where Spanish troops operate

The international coalition led by the United States that fights against the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) delivered this Saturday to the Iraqi forces the sector of the Besmaya base that was in the hands of the alliance and where the Spanish troops carried out their mission.

In a statement, the coalition announced that this is the seventh base to be transferred to Iraqi forces, after international troops withdrew from six other facilities in western and northern Iraq between March and April.

"The Iraqi forces trained at this base were instrumental in the liberation of Mosul (north) three years ago. Besmaya is a shining example of the capacity of the Iraqi military," said the international mission's deputy strategy commander, Major General Gerald Strickland, in the note. "The coalition has supported the development of these facilities, enabling the Iraqi Army to have forces ready to wipe out the remnants of the IE," he added.

The alliance noted that activities at the Besmaya base, located south of the capital Baghdad, were led by Spanish troops, who trained a total of nearly 50,000 local troops in different types of "tactics and programs". "The 'train the trainer' courses were very successful in building a sustainable future for Iraqi-led training programs," said Spanish coalition representative Col. "More than 5,000 Spanish soldiers have served in 12 contingents at this base, they can be very proud that their Iraqi partners have taken full control and are able to operate independently for the safe and stable future of Iraq," the statement said.

For its part, the Spanish Defense Chiefs of Staff announced through its Twitter account that Spanish troops have completed their training mission at the "Gran Capitan" base within the framework of the anti-Jihadist alliance. The international troops will leave the Besmaya base in the coming days and the coalition will continue to withdraw and relocate its personnel and equipment to the Iraqi bases throughout 2020, the statement said.

At the beginning of the year, the coalition had to suspend its operations in Iraq due to the escalation of tension between the US and Iran, following the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Suleiman in Baghdad in a US bombing. Later, the Iraqi authorities requested the exit of the foreign troops from the country, but no agreement was reached to that effect nor a calendar was specified and in the following months the alliance has returned to operate in collaboration with the forces of the Arab country.