UK and Coalition Military Presence in Iraq
UK military operations in Iraq are being conducted under the name Operation TELIC. UK forces in Iraq are a part of the United-States-led Multi-National Force - Iraq (or MNF-I).
MNF-I has a mandate from the United Nations, set out in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1637, which extended the mandate of the Multi-National Force in Iraq (MNF-I) until 31 December 2006. This was at the formal request of the Iraqi Government.
The mission of MNF-I is, in partnership with the Iraqi Government, to conduct operations against former regime extremists and foreign terrorists, and to organise, train, and equip Iraqi security forces in order to create a security environment that permits the process described in UNSCR 1637 to be completed on schedule.
In total 29 Countries contribute to the Multi-National Force (Iraq): Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Singapore, South Korea, Ukraine, UK, and the US.
Command and control of MNF-I military operations is the responsibility of the United-States-led Multi-National Corps – Iraq (or MNC-I) which is headquartered in Baghdad. MNC-I activities in Iraq are divided into six geographical regions, each with its own Multi-National force and associated headquarters. The UK is the lead nation for Multi-National Division (South East), or MND(SE), which covers the South-Eastern area of Iraq including Basrah, Iraq’s second largest city.
UK Military Personnel in Iraq
On 13 March 2006 the Secretary of State for Defence announced the most recent roulement of UK forces in Iraq. Following this roulement which completed in May 2006, there are now around 7,200 British troops serving in Iraq.
The total number of UK personnel deployed on Operation TELIC as a whole is higher – around 8,500 – as this includes personnel involved in the operation but not in Iraq itself (for example Royal Navy ships in the Gulf).
The number of UK military personnel deployed in Iraq has changed over time:
- Peak during Major Combat Operations (March/April 2003): 46,000
- At the end of May 2003: 18,000
- At the end of May 2004: 8,600
- At the end of May 2005: 8,500
- At the end of May 2006: 7,200
The overwhelming majority of UK personnel in Iraq are based in South-East Iraq, with a small number based in Baghdad and around the country to liaise and co-ordinate with other Coalition and Iraqi forces. A complete list of UK Forces deployed on Operation TELIC can be found here.
UK forces' efforts in Iraq are mainly targeted at helping the Iraqis develop their own effective security forces (known as "Security Sector Reform"). Assisting the Iraqis to improve the security environment remains our top priority.
Along with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development, UK forces are also helping the Iraqis to rebuild their country after the conflict and years of neglect, and supporting the political process.
Security Sector Reform
The Coalition is steadily delivering increasing numbers of operationally capable Iraqi Security Force personnel, with a few leading Iraqi units now capable of conducting counter-insurgency operations on their own.
To date over 264,000 Iraqi Security Forces have been trained and equipped by the Coalition.
Units of the new Iraqi Army are "paired" with MNF-I units, for the purposes of instruction, training and mentoring.
A team of UK military personnel have been seconded to the Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq (MNSTC-I) organisation, which oversees security sector reform across Iraq. This team includes a Brigadier who is the Deputy Commanding General.
UK military personnel are working in the Iraqi Military Academy at Ar-Rustimayah, training the next generation of Iraqi Officers.
There is also a team of UK civilians in Baghdad, helping the Iraqi Defence Minister set up an effective Iraqi Ministry of Defence.
Security Sector Reform in the South East
UK civilian police officers and supporting contractors are providing basic level training, both in Basra and Jordan, to the Iraqi Police Service. In addition, a Senior UK Police Officer and supporting team of civilian police officers and contractors are advising the Iraqis on civilian policing in MND(SE), and the UK is providing a senior Police Officer based in Baghdad to support Iraqi Ministers and to mentor senior Iraqi Police Service staff at the Ministry of the Interior.
The UK is also responsible for training and sustaining the 10th Division of the Iraqi Army. Significant progress has been made, with 9 out of 10 Battalions for the Southern Division already formed and basic trained. We have also played a lead role in developing the Iraqi Navy – providing a Naval Assistance and Training Team of almost 50 personnel at Umm Qasr Naval Base, together with seaborne support to the Iraqi Navy and Marines. This commitment is designed to prepare the Iraqi Navy and Marines to protect their nation’s offshore oil infrastructure, which is a mainstay of the Iraqi economy. Indeed, in February 2006 the Iraqi Marines took the lead in protecting the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, which itself accounted for the vast majority of Iraqi crude oil exports in 2005.
Reconstruction
The UK Government has pledged a total of £544 million for reconstruction in Iraq from 2003 until 2006. The Department for International Development (DFID), who are the lead Government department for reconstruction, has committed over £460 million for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in Iraq since the conflict in 2003. DFID's Interim Country Assistance Plan for Iraq, which sets out their medium term aid package, was published on 19 February 2004.
Healthcare spending is up more than 30 times on pre-conflict levels. Over 150 healthcare facilities have been completed and many more are in progress. One paediatric hospital is under construction in Basra. 240 hospitals and 1,200 primary health centres in Iraq are functioning, 20 hospitals having been rehabilitated. About 750 nurses have been trained in maternal and child health services along with 2,000 primary healthcare workers. Routine immunisation re-started in 2003 with national polio and measles vaccination programmes.
Over 5,000 schools have been rehabilitated, and over 450 are in progress. An estimated 70 million new textbooks have been distributed. Access to safe water is now better than pre-conflict, and sewage and wastewater treatment plants are now operating again – prior to the conflict none of the sewage treatment plants in Iraq were operational.
Reconstruction in the South East
UK forces, as part of MNF-I, continue to play an important role in the reconstruction and regeneration of the south-east region. UK forces work closely with DFID and the local Iraqi authorities to ensure a co-ordinated reconstruction effort that meets Iraqi aspirations.
A DFID-funded £40 million infrastructure rehabilitation project in southern Iraq was launched in 2005. 75% of the funds will be earmarked for power, the rest for water and fuel services. Priority will be given to capital works that will have an impact within a year and which will generate significant local employment.
MND(SE) forces are heavily involved in supporting the Iraqis to develop Basrah International Airport (BIA). The first civilian international flight flew into the Airport on 22 August 2005. There are now roughly 30 reconstruction and commercial flights a month.
The supply of domestic water to Basrah has increased dramatically due to a series of leak repair programmes initiated by UK forces. Water now reaches parts of Basrah that have not had a supply for years and the increased pressure enables water to reach taps in many first floor residences.
The Sweet Water Canal is the only water supply to Basrah and the south but it is not yet operating at full capacity. The Royal Engineers have completed a project, funded by DFID, to install low lift pumps to provide a secondary source of domestic water supply to the 2 million population of Basrah.
UK forces have made a significant contribution to the refurbishment of Iraqi schools and higher education facilities. We are also supporting the refurbishment of technical colleges to provide Iraqi workers with the skills necessary to secure sustainable employment.
Soldiers of the British Army have worked alongside Iraqi officials to co-ordinate the refurbishment of many of the hospitals and healthcare clinics in the southern provinces. Since 2003, over 75 hospitals and nearly all the primary care clinics that were damaged or looted in the war have been rehabilitated and have re-opened.
The majority of the work on UK-military-sponsored projects is done by local Iraqis and contractors. This increases employment and ensures that Iraqis have a stake in the process.
The Political Process
Elections were held in Iraq at the end of January 2005, which led to the first democratically elected government in 50 years. The Iraqi authorities are committed to respecting human rights, in line with the provisions of the Transitional Administrative Law.
On 23 July 2005 Prime Minister of the Iraqi Transitional Government, Dr Ibrahim al-Ja'afari, announced the formation of the joint commission in Iraq to establish conditions to gradually transition security responsibility to Iraqi Security Forces.
The political process in Iraq continues to develop at an encouraging pace. On 15 October 2005 millions of Iraqis took part in a national referendum on a constitution that was written by the Iraqis, for the Iraqis.
On the 25 October 2005 the Iraqi Electoral Commission announced that the constitution had successfully passed, with a yes vote of 79%. Although three Governorates (Ninawa, Salah ad Din, and Al Anbar) returned a majority no vote, in Ninawa, the vote fell short of the two-thirds necessary to reject the constitution.
On 15 December around 12 million Iraqis voted (approx 75% of electorate), in defiance of terrorists, for a new constitutional, permanent Government, further demonstrating the enthusiasm of the majority of the Iraqi people for democracy after decades of repression.
On 16 March 2006 the new permanent Iraqi parliament, the Council of Representatives, convened for the first time.
On 20 March 2006 Iraq’s new Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, announced his government of national unity.
More information on recent political developments in Iraq can be found in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Iraq Background Brief.
The cost of UK Military Operations in Iraq
The Ministry of Defence identifies the costs of military operations in terms of the net additional costs it has incurred, over and above planned expenditure on defence. The costs of our operations in Iraq come from the Treasury Special Reserve.
The overall cost of operations in Iraq in 2002-2003 was £848M.
The overall cost of operations in Iraq in 2003-2004 was £1311M. The costs incurred in 2003-2004 include the costs of combat operations from 1 April 2003, the costs incurred in maintaining and supporting subsequent peacekeeping operations and the costs of recuperating operational capability afterwards.
The cost for 2004-2005 is £910M. The estimated cost of £1,098M for operations in Iraq for 2005/06 were included in the Spring Supplementary Estimates published in February. Final figures will be published in the MOD’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2005/06 following an audit by the National Audit Office.
