French general takes command of NATO mission in Iraq

Major General Christophe Hintzy replaced Lieutenant General Lucas Schreurs of the Netherlands during a ceremony at a military base inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.

"France and Iraq have a long-standing partnership across all sectors," Hintzy told AFP.

Hintzy, who served as France's senior representative to US Central Command (CENTCOM) from 2022 to 2024, said his new NATO role "complements the strategic partnership" between the two countries.

He said the NATO mission in Iraq focuses on "assistance, advice and capacity building" to help Iraqi forces combat "terrorism" and strengthen national security.

All 32 NATO members contribute to the mission, alongside partner countries Austria and Australia. The force includes several hundred military and civilian personnel.

France also contributes troops to the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State group. IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, but some of its members remain active.

Baghdad has been seeking to wind down the coalition's mission, pushing instead for bilateral military partnerships. Iraqi officials say their forces are now capable of handling the remaining threat.

The Iraqi army was "fully capable of destroying the last cells of Daesh" anywhere in the country, Hintzy said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.