Germany slashing troop numbers in Iraq
Iran Press TV
Tuesday, 07 January 2020 9:07 AM
Germany says it is reducing its military presence in Iraq, in the latest fallout from the United States' assassination of Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.
The German government told parliament in a letter on Monday that about 30 soldiers stationed in Baghdad and Taji would be moved to Jordan and Kuwait.
Germany has about 415 soldiers in the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh. About 120 of them are stationed in Iraq.
A German Defense Ministry spokesman told AFP that the withdrawal would "begin shortly."
According to the German government, the partial withdrawal was ordered by the US-led joint command for fighting Daesh.
The move comes after Iraqi lawmakers unanimously approved a bill demanding the withdrawal of all US-led foreign military forces following the US airstrike that killed Lt. Gen. Soleimani.
Iraq has condemned the strike as a violation of its sovereignty.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said late Monday that the basis for the German military presence in Iraq was "that we have an invitation from the Iraqi government and parliament."
"If that is no longer the case... then the legal basis for us to be there is missing. We have to clarify this with those responsible in Baghdad as soon as possible," Maas said.
Italy evacuates US base
Italy also withdrew its forces from the US Union 3 base in Baghdad, La Stampa newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The evacuation of 50 soldiers from the base came after they spent a day in a bunker to shield themselves from mortar shells.
A US drone carried out an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport early on Friday, assassinating Lt. Gen. Soleimani, who was the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), as well as eight other people.
Iran has pledged a "harsh revenge" against America for the assassination.
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