The British Army in Iraq
The UK has a leading role in the 67-member Global Coalition committed to defeating Daesh. The coalition includes Iraq, European nations and the US. British troops are not in a combat role in Iraq but are on the ground with coalition partners providing training and equipment to Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Kurdish Security Forces (KSF).
4 RIFLES in Iraq
Progress of the military campaign
The British Army is using hard-won experience and skills from Afghanistan to help the ISF and KSF take the fight to Daesh. Iraqi and Kurdish forces are keen to build on recent operational successes and the training being delivered by UK troops has made a real difference on the ground.
UK and coalition support for local forces has liberated Ramadi, Rutbah, Hit, Fallujah, Qayyarah and Mosul. The flow of foreign fighters has fallen by up to 90%. The UK has supported successful efforts to improve international coordination, through the UN and other bodies.
At least 50 countries and the UN now pass fighter profiles to Interpol – a 400% increase over two years. According to the office of migration, more than 887,000 refugees have returned to their homes.
Training success
We’ve trained more than 25,000 Iraqi forces, including 6,600 Kurdish Peshmerga, in infantry, weapons maintenance, counter-IED, medical and engineering skills. This is already saving lives and contributing to successful operations.
Following additional deployments, there are up to 1400 UK military and civilian personnel supporting counter-Daesh operations.
Personnel from all services are manning crucial roles within the Global Coalition's headquarters throughout the Middle-East, including Baghdad, where there are UK advisors working alongside Iraqi military personnel in the Iraqi Operational Command.
