Baghdad, Iraq – Recent drone and rocket assaults on U.S. facilities near Baghdad International Airport have intensified security concerns, coinciding with NATO’s full withdrawal from Iraq.
The Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center (BDSC), also referred to as Victoria Base or Camp Victory, has endured multiple strikes in March 2026 by Iran-aligned Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) groups, including Kataib Hezbollah. No U.S. casualties have been reported despite several impacts.
NATO Mission Iraq, a non-combat training program active since 2018, completed its personnel drawdown by March 20, relocating to Europe due to broader regional instability tied to U.S.-Israeli-Iran tensions, as reported by PBS NewsHour.
This move followed a March 12 drone attack in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, which killed French Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion and wounded others, according to statements from French President Emmanuel Macron. The incident formed part of a wider attack wave but was not the isolated cause of NATO’s repositioning.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has ordered non-essential staff departures and urged American citizens to leave amid elevated risks to diplomatic sites. While force protection measures are in place at BDSC, no verified reports confirm a total evacuation of U.S. military personnel or contractors from the facility.
Erbil and the Baghdad Embassy complex continue as focal points for PMF and Iran-linked operations, featuring low-cost FPV drones in recent hits. Talks in Baghdad seek to curb attacks on U.S. interests, but threats persist.
