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Iraqi MPs Demand Gov’t to Make Plan for Foreign Troops Withdrawal – Source

CAIRO (Sputnik) - The Iraqi parliament on Thursday demanded the government to develop a schedule for the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country, a source in the parliament told Sputnik.
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"The Iraqi parliament expresses its gratitude to all countries which have supported Iraq in its fight against Daesh (banned in Russia) and calls for the government to draw up a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops," the speaker's office said.

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On December 10, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi declared the defeat of the Daesh terrorist group after Iraqi troops restored complete control over the border with Syria. The US-led international coalition was providing military support to Iraq, with some US and Turkish troops still being present in the country.

On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister said that coalition force numbers were now "very limited" and emphasized it was "out of the question to give them a base on our territory".

"There is no base or airport controlled by foreign forces… No aircraft lands or takes off without our authorization," he told a news conference.

READ MORE: Iraq Negotiating Purchase of S-400 Systems, Sanctions Hinder Efforts — FM

US forces occupied Iraq for eight years, between a 2003 invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein and their withdrawal in December 2011. Three years later, Daesh seized a third of Iraq, sweeping aside security forces.

In recent years, both Syria and Iraq have been influenced by activities of numerous terrorist groups, such as Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra Front) that have controlled vast territories of the Middle Eastern nation.

Due to successful military campaigns and support of allies, troops loyal to Damascus and Baghdad have mostly driven terrorists out, but a number of sleeping cells still exist in the region and carry out deadly attacks against both military and civilian targets.

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