9 minutes agoUS Defence Secretary on Unannounced Visit to Iraq
Periskopi(7 years ago)
(7 years ago)US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has arrived in Baghdad on an unprecedented visit, while the United States is withdrawing their troops from northern Syria in Iraq. Esper is expected to meet with Iraqi Defence Minister Najah al-Shammar and Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on October 23rd, after the Iraqi army said [...]
US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has arrived in Baghdad on an unprecedented visit, while the United States is withdrawing their troops from northern Syria in Iraq.
Esper is expected to meet with Iraqi Defence Minister Najah al-Shammar and Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on October 23rd after the Iraqi Army has said American troops leaving Syria have no permission to stay in Iraq.
All American troops who have withdrawn from Syria have provided authorization to enter the Iraqi Kurdish so that they can leave Iraq”, an Iraqi commander has said.
But Esper told while he was in Saudi Arabia that repositioned troops would stay “temporarily” in Iraq before returning to the US.
The Pentagon chief has initially told reporters that all American troops leaving Syria will head west of Iraq and that they will continue to conduct operations against the militant group, Islamic State (IS).
The United States has about 5,200 troops in Iraq, under the international coalition against the IS.
US President Donald Trump has decided earlier this month to withdraw all 1,000 American troops from northern Syria.
But the Pentagon has said later that Washington is considering holding several troops in this state to ensure that IS militants and others do not benefit from oil zones in the region.
