Bundeswehr decided to suspend rotation of German contingent in the US-led international coalition's joint task force in Iraq amid escalation of tensions in the region after the US assassination of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, the German Defense Ministry said in a statement
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th January, 2020) Bundeswehr decided to suspend rotation of German contingent in the US-led international coalition's joint task force in Iraq amid escalation of tensions in the region after the US assassination of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, the German Defense Ministry said in a statement.
In the early hours of Friday, Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, was killed in an drone strike on the outskirts of Baghdad that was authorized by US President Donald Trump. Shortly after, the US Embassy in Baghdad called on US citizens to leave Iraq as soon as possible.
"Due to recent developments in Iraq, Bundeswehr Chief of Defense [Gen. Eberhard] Zorn decided to suspend rotation the regular contingent of German soldiers at Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve," the statement, published on Sunday, said.
On Sunday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Germany should continue its training mission in Iraq even despite the recent events. The task force itself also reaffirmed its commitment to the mission.
The international coalition against the Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia) was formed in 2014 after the terrorist group captured vast territories in Iraq and Syria. The coalition assisted Iraq in conducting military operations against the militants.
When Iraq declared victory over the IS in 2017, the coalition remained in country to assist the government in creating a sustainable Iraqi security force that could secure the nation's borders and ensure a lasting defeat of the terrorist group.
The assassination prompted the Iranian president to warn that Tehran will take revenge for what it views to be a heinous crime. Baghdad has condemned the attack as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, protesting the use of its territory by the United States for attacks on other countries. On Saturday, Trump said that the US had identified 52 targets that would be struck if Iran attacks US individuals or assets.
