Denmark begins withdrawal of troops from Iraq
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Denmark decided to begin the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, which were sent there as part of the efforts of the U.S.-led coalition to combat the Islamic State terrorist group, Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said on Thursday.
Denmark decided to begin the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, which were sent there as part of the efforts of the U.S.-led coalition to combat the Islamic State terrorist group, Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said on Thursday.
“Danish special task forces have made a valuable contribution to the fight against IS.
“Now, we have reached the moment when we can begin the withdrawal of our troops since the IS does not control major areas of Iraq anymore,’’ Samuelsen said as quoted in the ministry’s statement.
The minister stressed that the fight against the IS had not ended yet and that Denmark would continue to work on preventing terrorist activities.
The Danish parliament approved sending a 60-member contingent to Iraq in August, 2016.
The troops were tasked with assisting the Iraqi military in training and escorting.
Meanwhile the withdrawal will be carried out gradually and completed in autumn 2018.
The U.S.-led coalition of over 70 members is conducting military operations against IS in Syria and Iraq since September, 2014.
The coalition’s strikes in Iraq are conducted in cooperation with Iraqi officials, but those in Syria are not authorised by the government of President Bashar Assad or the UN Security Council.
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