Germany draws down its mission in Iraq's Kurdish region
Germany has ended the military mission of its advisers in Iraq’s semiautonomous northern Kurdish region after years of supporting the U.S.-led coalition’s efforts against Islamic State militants, the Kurdish region’s Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs said Wednesday.
The ministry said it held an official ceremony at Camp Stephan at Irbil International Airport to mark the mission’s end. Germany had already reduced its footprint in Iraq but had maintained a small contingent at the base.
The end of the German mission comes as U.S. forces have also begun withdrawing from northern Iraq ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to end their military presence in the country.
U.S. bases in the Kurdish region have regularly come under attack since the U.S. and Israel launched the Iran war on Feb. 28.
Source: Associated Press
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