Iraq Coalition Troops

For an updated listing as of late 2008, see The Coalition of the Willing: Numbers and News

Non-US Forces in Iraq - February 2007

The size and capabilities of the Coalition forces involved in operations in Iraq has been a subject of much debate, confusion, and at times exageration. As of August 23, 2006, there were 21 non-U.S. military forces contributing armed forces to the Coalition in Iraq. These 21 countries were: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

However, in the August 23, 2006 Iraq Weekly Status Report (Slide 27) the State Department listed 27 foreign countries as contributing troops to the Coalition in Iraq. The additional four countries were Japan, Portugal, Singapore and the Ukraine.

In addition, that same Weekly Status Report listed 34 countries (including the US) as maintaining personnel in Iraq (as part of the Coalition, UNAMI, or NATO). The State Department reported that Fiji was contributing troops though UNAMI and that Hungary, Iceland, Slovenia, and Turkey were assisting with the NATO training mission. However, it is unclear whether Hungary actually maintained any forces in Iraq as part of NATO or UNAMI since its government announced the complete withdrawal of troops in December 2004.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services committee on August 3, 2006, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld described the coalition in Iraq as composed of 34 allies (plus the US).

As of June 13, 2006, MNF-I reported that 27 countries (including the US) maintained responsibility over the six major areas of Iraq. Since that time, Japan has withdrawn all of its forces from Iraq.

For the purposes of this tally, only countries that contribute troops as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom are counted.

Countries which had troops in or supported operations in Iraq at one point but have pulled out since: Nicaragua (Feb. 2004); Spain (late-Apr. 2004); Dominican Republic (early-May 2004); Honduras (late-May 2004); Philippines (~Jul. 19, 2004); Thailand (late-Aug. 2004); New Zealand (late Sep. 2004); Tonga (mid-Dec. 2004) Portugal (mid-Feb. 2005); The Netherlands (Mar. 2005); Hungary (Mar. 2005); Singapore (Mar. 2005); Norway (Oct. 2005); Ukraine (Dec. 2005); Japan (July 17, 2006); Italy (Nov. 2006); Slovakia (Jan 2007).

Countries planning to withdraw from Iraq: Poland had earlier claimed that it would withdraw all soldiers by the end of 2006. It however extended the mandate of its contingent through at least mid-2007. Denmark announced that it would withdraw its troop contingent by August 2007.

Countries which have recently reduced or are planning to reduce their troop commitment: South Korea is planning to withdraw up to 1000 soldiers by the end of 2006. Poland withdrew 700 soldiers in Feb. 2005. Between May 2005 and May 2006, the United Kingdom reduced the size of its contingent by 1,300. The United Kingdom also is planning to reduce significantly the size of its contingent by the end of 2007, with an initial reduction of 1,600 troops followed by an additional 500 troops by end of 2007.

Countries supporting UNAMI: Fiji (150); Georgia (550)

Recent developments

• On March 9, 2007, Georgia's deputy defense minister was reported as saying that Georgia would likely send additional troops to Iraq, possibly for a total contingent size of about 2,400
• On March 4, 2007, Georgia announced that it would increase the size of its contingent of Iraq, then standing at 850. The size of the increase was not reported.
• Lithuania was reported to be considering withdrawing its troop contingent of 53 troops from Iraq.
• On February 21, 2007, Denmark announced that it would withdraw its 460-strong contingent of troops from southern Iraq by August 2007
• On February 21, 2007, British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that 600 British troops would return home within the next few months, with another 500 to follow by the end of 2007, leaving approximately 5,000 troops on the ground; from a high of approximately 40,000 troops during the major combat operations phase.
• Slovakia's Prime Minister announced in late January 2007, that the country's contingent had effectively been withdrawn from Iraq
• Armenia's parliament voted on December 6, 2006, to extend the mandate of its troops contingent in Iraq by an additional 12 months. The contingent was reported to be made up of three staff officers, two military doctors, 10 men making up an engineering unit, in addition to a transport platoon composed of 31 drivers
• Georgia, on Nov. 4, 2006, deployed a contingent of 300 servicemen from the 31st Light Infantry Battalion to Iraq as part of a normally scheduled troop rotation.
• South Korea announced on November 25, 2006, that the deployment of its contingent of troops to Iraq would be extended for one year, but its size would be reduced. Media reports suggested that it would decrease by approximately 1,200 troops from its current size of ~2,300 as of late-November 2006.
• The last contingent of Italian troops in Iraq, numbering between 60 and 70 troops was due to leave the country during the last week of November 2006.
• Georgia completed on the rotation of an infantry battalion from Iraq. The battalion returned to Georgia on November 27, 2006. It was replaced in Iraq by the 31st Light Infantry Battalion which left for Iraq on November 4, 2006 with a size of 300 servicemen. Some 850 Georgian troops were reported to be deployed in Iraq.
• On November 27, 2006, UK Defence Secretary Des Browne announced that Britain's contribution to operations in Iraq would be significantly reduced by next year's end.
• As of November 24, 2006, Australia's Department of Defence reported that it had 1,400 troops taking part in Operation Catalyst. 221 of these were assigned to HMAS Warramunga and Commander Task Force 158. 330 Australian troops were assigned to 2 C-130 Hercules and AP-3C Orion detachments. 518 troops from multiple regiments making up Overwatch Battle Group West Two began deploying in mid-November 2006 to relieve Overwatch Battle Group West One troops stationed in Iraq for 6 months.
• Poland, in mid-November 2006, authorized the extension of the deployment of its contingent in Iraq through mid-2007. Poland's President was quoted as saying that the contingent would be fully withdrawn by the end of 2007.
• On October 11, 2006, the Mongolian contingent in Iraq held a ceremony to mark the rotation of a new contingent of troops. 100 Mongolian Infntry Company soldiers were reported to be tasked with providing security for Camp Echo and MND CS
• On September 2, 2006, Slovakia officially rotated in its 7th contingent of troops into Iraq. That contingent is composed of 103 troops
• On August 10, 2006, Lieutenant General Ts. Togoo, Chief of the Generaly Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces reported that Mongolia would continue to maintain soldiers in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mongolia forces will complete their sixth combat rotation on September 26, 2006, and a seventh rotation will take their place.
• On July 17, 2006, Japan completed a full withdrawal of armed forces from Iraq. This withdrawal was announced in June 2006.
• On June 7, 2006, The Guardian Unlimited reported that Italy would withdraw all forces from Iraq by December 2006.
• On May 9, 2006, VOA reported that South Korea was beginning to withdraw some of its force from Iraq. On May 9, 2006, the Korea Times reported that Korea maintained a force of 3,277 soldiers in the Kurdish city of Irbil but would soon be withdrawing 40. Both articles reported that by the end of 2006, South Korea would withdraw a total of approximately 1,000 troops.
• On February 22, 2006, the Bulgarian Parliament approved a measure to send a 150-person non-combat contigent to Camp Ashraf on a humanitarian mission designed to oversee control of the camp. On March 29, Bulgaria sent its first contingent to the camp.
• In late December 2005, Ukraine completed its withdrawal of troops from Iraq. RFE/RL reported that the withdrawal was almost complete on December 20.
• In October 2005, Norway announced that it would begin withdrawing its forces from Iraq. It soon completed a full withdrawal.
• In March 2005, the Netherlands completed a full withdrawal of its troops from Iraq. RFE/RL reported on the withdrawal in January.