Italy pulls troops from Erbil base hit by strikes — where Hungarians are deployed too

Italy is preparing to bring home its remaining troops from its military base in Erbil, northern Iraq, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday, stressing that the drawdown had already been planned before a missile hit the facility.

According to Crosetto, the strike caused no casualties or injuries among Italian personnel, with all troops reported safe after moving into protected areas as part of pre-planned security procedures.

Withdrawal was planned before the attack

Crosetto said Italy had already started reducing its military footprint in the region due to security concerns. He stated that 102 personnel have already returned to Italy, while around 40 others were relocated to Jordan.

According to Anadolu, he added that the return of the remaining contingent was already being organised, but described the operation as logistically complex because troops cannot be flown out directly. Instead, they are expected to leave by land, most likely via Türkiye, he said.