Security
THE German Military on Tuesday flew some of its troops out of Iraq due to the tensions that followed the US killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
According to the Bundeswehr, thirty-two men and women serving at the Taji military complex in central Iraq were transported to the Al-Asrak airbase in Jordan by an A400M transport plane.
Earlier, three German soldiers and officers from other countries were relocated to Kuwait from a headquarters in Baghdad used for the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group.
However, in the Kurdish area of Northern Iraq, 117 German soldiers were still deployed.
Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote in a letter to parliamentarians that it would, in particular, be based in the capital Baghdad and Taji that would be temporarily thinned out.
They reiterated that talks were ongoing with the government in Baghdad about a continuation of the German deployment.
In the wake of Soleimani’s assassination in Iraq by the U.S. the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution calling for an end to the presence of foreign troops linked to the U.S.-led alliance fighting Islamic State.
“Of course, we will respect every sovereign decision of the Iraqi government.
“We are in principle ready to continue our tried and tested support as part of an internationally coordinated framework if this is desired by Iraq and the situation allows it,” they said.
They said that the soldier could be transferred back to Baghdad and Taji once the training of Iraqi troops resumed.
Germany is participating in the U.S.-led “Operation Inherent Resolve” against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria with a total of 415 soldiers.
It supports the operation with Tornado jets and tanker aircraft, as well as military trainers in Iraq.(Xinhua/NAN)
– Jan. 7, 2020 @ 14:12 GMT |
Tags: German troops flown out of Baghdad amid Iran-US tensions
