Iraq laid out plans for withdrawal of foreign forces, PM says
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Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani underlines that Baghdad has outlined the plans for the pullout of foreign forces from Iraqi soil.
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Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani attends a ceremony marking the Police Day in Baghdad, Iraq, January 9, 2024 (AP)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has disclosed the government's comprehensive strategy to terminate the presence of US-led foreign military forces in the country during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
"Iraq is still open to cooperation with the coalition member states in the fields of supply of military equipment and training within the framework of bilateral relations," al-Sudani said, underlining that Iraq was willing to maintain collaborative efforts while asserting its sovereignty.
Stoltenberg praised the Iraqi government's commitment to enhancing the security forces' capabilities, particularly in the prosecution of remaining terror group members and the restoration of security and stability. He also expressed NATO's eagerness for expanded joint cooperation with Baghdad in various areas of security.
The move to expel the US gained momentum in Iraq after the assassination of top Iraqi and Iranian anti-terror commanders four years ago following the height of the fight against terror in the region, with the Iraqi parliament adopting a law to expel foreign forces. The targeted drone strike, authorized by then-President Donald Trump, claimed the lives of General Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis near the Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.
Soleimani, the commander of the elite Quds Force unit of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), and al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), played pivotal roles in countering the ISIS terrorist group in the region, particularly Iraq and Syria.
US unwelcome
A statement from the Iraqi parliament emphasized the irrevocable nature of the legislation adopted in January 2020, requiring the government to end the presence of all US-led foreign military forces in the Arab country.
The United States redeployed a large force in Iraq following an agreement with the Iraqi government which mandated the US military to support the country in its fight against ISIS. Under a Combined Joint Task Force, dubbed "Operation Inherent Resolve," the US has maintained a large presence, including two airbases, through which it claims to fight terrorism in the region.
Deputy Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi declared that the bill enjoys widespread popular support and urged the government to implement the legislation while focusing on bolstering Iraqi security forces rather than relying on foreign troops to combat terror groups.
Al-Sudani's statement echoes a similar one made last week, wherein he called for an agreement on a specific timeframe for the withdrawal of the US-led international coalition in Iraq which "honestly" needs to be "quick".
In an interview for Reuters, al-Sudani said, "Let's agree on a timeframe that is, honestly, quick, so that they don't remain long and the attacks keep happening."
Moreover, the Prime Minister explained that to avoid "more expansion of the arena of conflict in a sensitive region," the "devastating killing machine [in Gaza]" must be brought to an end and humanitarian aid must be delivered "as soon as possible."
Al-Sudani stressed that this "is the only solution".
