MADRID/BELGRADE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2020) Several members of the US-led international counter-terrorist coalition announced on Wednesday their decision to redeploy their troops from Iraq following a missile attack at US bases in the country, carried out by Iran.
Earlier in the day, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) started a revenge operation in response to Washington's killing of IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. According to the Iraqi military, about 22 missiles struck the country, with 17 of them hitting the US Ain Al Asad air base and five attacked the Iraqi city of Erbil, targeting the US-led coalition headquarters. According to Iranian media reports, 80 US servicemen were killed and around 200 others were injured, while the United States reported no casualties at all.
"The [Spanish] servicemen who were staying in the most dangerous area have departed to Kuwait, while only three remain [in Iraq]," Vice President of the Government of Spain Carmen Calvo Poyato said in an interview to Spanish TVE channel.
A similar decision was made by Slovenia.
"Due to the attack on the Erbil airfield, the Defense Ministry has made a decision to evacuate all its six servicemen of the Slovenian military's third contingent in Operation Inherent Resolve. The evacuation is being conducted in conjunction with the German partners," the Slovenian Defense Ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Montenegrin Defense Ministry said that it was considering postponing sending its troops to Iraq in light of the situation.
Earlier in the day, Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik promised to withdraw the country's soldiers there in case of combat.
On Tuesday, Croatia said it had withdrawn its 14 servicemen from Baghdad to Kuwait, while Canada did the same to a part of its 500 soldier-strong contingents.
