World

Netherlands Mulls Resumption of Military Training Mission in Iraq - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Netherlands is expected to resume its military training mission in northern Iraq on the weekend, media reported.
Sputnik

According to Algemeen Dagblad, these plans were outlined in a government letter addressed to the Dutch House of Representatives.

The German ARD broadcaster has reported that German military would also resume its mission in Iraq on the weekend.    

On Wednesday, media reported that the Netherlands had suspended its mission to train Iraqi servicemen over a security threat. Some 50 military experts from the Netherlands are currently training the Kurdish military in Erbil, capital of Iraq's northern Kurdistan region. There is also a small group of Dutch military in Baghdad.

Germany, Netherlands Halt Iraq Missions as US Puts Forces on 'HIGH ALERT'
Germany also suspended its soldier training operation in Iraq following Washington's announcement that it was withdrawing all non-essential government staff from the region due to the rising tensions with Iran.

The US State Department has ordered a partial evacuation of the US Embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Erbil, claiming that it had received intelligence information about activities coming from Iraq's eastern neighbor, Iran, that posed a security threat to US facilities and personnel.

Iran announced the suspension of certain commitments under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the nuclear deal, earlier this month, stating that the other signatories have a 60-day period to fulfil their obligations amid the US sanctions against the country.

Discuss