Germany to extend military presence in Iraq till October
2 Min Read
Germany, with the approval of the government, may extend its military mission in Iraq till October.
-
Germany has been in Iraq alongside the US occupation forces.
German authorities have agreed to extend their presence in Iraq - namely their military mission. However, the decision is yet to be approved by the German Parliament, according to Federal Government Spokesman Steffen Heberstreit.
"The government made the decision to extend this mission... until October 31, 2022, a total of up to 500 soldiers may take part in it," Hebestreit said, adding that the decision must be approved by the German Parliament.
German soldiers were allegedly training Iraqi soldiers until January 2020, after which the mission was interrupted as the United States assassinated Lieutenant-General Qassem Soleimani and Popular Mobilization Forces Deputy Chief Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis in Baghdad.
Coalition forces, including Germany, have suspended their missions though temporarily and have allocated their soldiers to other countries in the region.
Coalition out
Last month, Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announced the completion of the withdrawal process of all combat forces of the international coalition from the country.
Al-Kadhimi confirmed that "the Coalition has fully completed their combat role after transfer of personnel and material outside Iraq."
The Iraqi Prime Minister noted that the coalition's role "will be to advise and assist our security forces per the outcome of the Strategic Dialogue."
"We thank the leadership of the Coalition, its members, our partners, and neighbors in combating Daesh (ISIS) and reaffirm that our security forces stand ready to defend our people," Al-Kadhimi concluded.
Days before, the Combined Joint Operations Command (CJOC) said the US-led international coalition forces in Iraq would have had completely left the country by the end of December, denying certain media reports suggesting otherwise.
