BRUSSELS, March 20. /TASS/. NATO has temporarily withdrawn its instructors stationed in Iraq amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) media outlet reported, citing an Iraqi source.

"It’s a temporary withdrawal of forces. They are concerned about the current situation," the source said. Another source confirmed that the entire NATO mission had been pulled out.

A NATO official, in turn, told the news agency that the alliance was "regrouping" its mission in Iraq.

The goal of the non-combat mission is to train officers and specialists for the Iraqi armed forces.