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NATO will resume training mission in Iraq ‘soon’: Commander

NATO will resume its training mission in Iraq in the coming days or weeks, the alliance’s top military commander said Friday after activities were suspended following a US drone strike on Baghdad.
US General Tod Wolters said the 500-strong mission would restart its work after receiving assurances from the Iraqi government.
The mission was put on hold on January 4, and some NATO troops moved out of Iraq, amid fears of reprisal attacks after the US killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in the strike on Baghdad.
“As a result of the letter of response from Iraq over the last 36 hours, we will now recommence the NATO Mission Iraq,” Wolters told reporters at the Munich Security Conference.
Asked when this would happen, Wolters replied: “Soon. Days to weeks.”
“We want to get to it as fast as we possibly can but force protection for the troops is critical,” he added.
The news comes after NATO defense ministers agreed to expand the Iraq mission by taking on troops and activities currently run by the US-led multinational coalition against ISIS.
Outraged by Soleimani’s killing on its soil, the Iraqi parliament voted to kick foreign troops out of the country, but after weeks of backroom diplomacy, they have now agreed to NATO staying on.
The NATO mission – led by a Canadian and with a strict non-combat mandate – is seen as more acceptable to the Iraqi authorities than the US-led coalition.
“We will subsume some of those trains and advise activities that existed with Operation Inherent Resolve and bring those over to NATO mission Iraq duties, those consultations about that activity are ongoing,” said Wolters, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Exactly how many troops will move and what activities they will do are matters still under discussion, though Spain has already said it is willing to transfer personnel.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg briefed a meeting of the anti-ISIS coalition at Munich on the plans for the Iraq mission.
Further down the line, NATO plans to look at what more it can do to help fight terrorism and build stability in the wider Middle East, responding to a call by US President Donald Trump.
source: AFP
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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