The OIR deployment had been the Estonian Defense Forces' (EDF) largest foreign mission, and up to 110 personnel had been involved at any one time since April 2023, while smaller numbers of EDF members had been deployed with OIR for nearly a decade.

OIR commander Brig. Gen. Kevin Lambert of the U.S. Army said the operation has achieved its goal of preserving Iraq's sovereignty and defeating ISIS militarily.
All allies have also gained valuable experience, he added.

"Estonia's contribution here is really helpful, not just for you to be able to work with allies and partners, but for allies and partners to be able to work with Estonia. And any version of the future when it comes to security in Eastern Europe or Europe kind of writ large is going to be done through a coalition approach. And so I think it is hugely valuable that you have been able to do this," Lambert said.

"Estonia was right there in the beginning. In 2016 they started to send advisors and security force protection personnel, and today almost 500 Estonian soldiers have rotated through what I think history is going to remember as one of the most successful combined joint task forces that the world has seen. We have accomplished our goals of maintaining Iraq's sovereignty and militarily defeating ISIS to the point where they no longer pose a direct threat to the Iraq government," Lambert added.

Lambert noted that Estonia's contribution to OIR came at a time when the security situation in our own region was deteriorating.

"As to security I think the Estonian people have a very short memory of what a security environment that doesn't favor their freedoms, their liberties: They know what that feels like, and they are willing to sacrifice to prevent going back to that, and they are willing to do that not only in their back yard but globally, because they understand, I think, the implications of not doing that, more so than a lot of other nations and people do."

OIR was able to prevent the spread of ISIS activities beyond just Iraq and Syria. The organization had been expanding into Africa and also northward, threatening Europe, he said.

With the military operation being scaled back, responsibility for security and for pressuring the remaining ISIS cells is being gradually handed over to Iraqi forces, allowing EDF members to return home this month.

Some other coalition member states' personnel will remain in the country under bilateral agreements made with the Iraqi government at a time when tensions in the Middle East have not gone anywhere.

The war in Gaza, hostilities between Israel and Iran and concerns over new Syrian Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa's policies and past connections to al-Qaeda are among potential future flashpoints.

It is not yet clear how President al-Sharaa intends to deal with the threat posed by ISIS, Lambert said, adding ISIS will no doubt do all it can to try to destabilize the new government, which replaced that of Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia after being deposed late last year.

Estonia made the announcement it was ending its involvement in OIR in mid-July. "This allows us to end participation in the operation and focus next year on developing Estonia's defense capabilities," Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said at the time.

"Although we are currently ending our contribution to the coalition, international security clearly affects Estonia's security as well, which is why we are always ready to consider supporting our allies when needed," the minister added.

Estonia is also set to continue contributing to the NATO NMI training mission based in Baghdad, with one staff officer deployed there.

Since April 2023, the EDF has supported OIR with military advisors, a support unit, and an infantry company from the Scouts Battalion. This unit provides close protection, security during movements and visits, and rapid response near Erbil airbase in Kurdistan.

During the early Syrian civil war, ISIS gained power in areas lacking government control and expanded into northern Iraq in 2014. In response, nearly 90 countries formed the U.S.-led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), launched at Iraq's request to train local security forces and preserve sovereignty.

Deploying EDF personnel to OIR in Iraq required a Riigikogu mandate.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!