BRUSSELS — The NATO military alliance was monitoring the situation in Iraq closely on Friday with an eye to the safety of its training mission there after US forces killed an Iranian general.

NATO maintains a limited presence in Iraq ro train government security forces and the alliance was not involved in the attack on Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad international airport.

"NATO is monitoring the situation in the region very closely. We remain in close and regular contact with the US authorities," spokesman Dylan White said.

"At the request of the Iraqi government, NATO's training mission in the country is helping to strengthen the Iraqi forces and prevent the return of ISIS (Daesh)," he said.

"The safety of our personnel in Iraq is paramount. We continue to take all precautions necessary." — AFP