意大利国防部长吉多·克罗塞托周二表示，该国已完成从伊拉克的武装部队撤出，结束了长达12年的军事部署。
Italy has completed the withdrawal of its armed forces from Iraq, ending a 12-year deployment, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Tuesday.
克罗塞托称，最后一批留下来负责清理和转移后勤装备的人员也已返回。此次撤军提前于与伊拉克政府商定的9月30日截止日期完成。
The last personnel, who had remained to recover and transfer logistical equipment, have returned, Crosetto said in a statement. The withdrawal was completed ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline agreed with Iraqi authorities.
克罗塞托表示，从明天起，意大利在伊拉克的军事存在将正式结束。
“From tomorrow, therefore, our military presence in Iraq will end,” Crosetto said.
他强调，这一举措是与伊拉克及伙伴国家共同商定的新阶段的一部分，届时伊拉克安全部队将全面负责该国的安全。
He said the move was part of a new phase agreed with Iraq and partner countries, in which Iraqi security forces would assume full responsibility for the country’s security.
他同时指出，由美国领导的联军‘内在决心’行动和北约‘伊拉克任务’将继续在其他国家开展行动，其中北约任务将暂时从位于那不勒斯附近的拉戈帕特里亚联合部队司令部进行指挥。
The US-led coalition’s Operation Inherent Resolve and NATO Mission Iraq will continue operating from other countries, he said. The NATO mission will temporarily operate from the alliance’s Joint Force Command in Lago Patria, near Naples.
克罗塞托还表示，在过去的12年里，数千名意大利士兵在伊拉克服役，为打击ISIS（达伊什）以及培训伊拉克武装和安全部队（特别是在库尔德地区）做出了贡献。
Crosetto said thousands of Italian troops had served in Iraq over the past 12 years, contributing to the fight against ISIS (Daesh) and training Iraqi armed forces and security forces in the Kurdish region.
意大利计划通过培训、经验交流和提升伊拉克军事能力等方式继续与伊拉克合作。
Italy plans to continue working with Iraq through training, exchanges of expertise and efforts to develop Iraqi military capabilities, he added.
国防部称，意大利的撤军工作主要在3月份前就已完成；目前仍有两名意大利宪兵作为欧盟‘EUAM伊拉克’咨询团的一员留在伊拉克，该咨询团得到了伊拉克政府的授权。
The Defense Ministry said the Italian withdrawal had been largely completed by March. Two Italian Carabinieri remain in Iraq as part of the separate EU Advisory Mission, EUAM Iraq, which is authorized by the Iraqi government.