Iraq says US troops leaving Syria can't redeploy there and have to leave in 4 weeks, a fresh embarrassment in Trump's botched withdrawal
The 1,000 US troops leaving Syria will be allowed to stay in Iraq for at most four weeks, Iraq's defense minister said Wednesday, in an embarrassing rebuff to President Donald Trump's plans for withdrawing from Syria.
Najah al-Shammari's comments to the Associated Press came shortly after his meeting with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who went to Baghdad to negotiate the redeployment of US troops in Iraq after they withdrew from Syria.
The emergency meeting came after Esper announced on Monday that the American troops would be stationed along the Iraq-Syria border.
The announcement was seemingly made without bringing Iraq on board first, as the Iraqi government said hours later that the US had not secured permission to do so.
Esper said at the time that US troops would help secure oil fields and monitor activity of the Islamic State terrorist group from Iraq.
- One thousand American troops are leaving northeastern Syria after President Donald Trump decided to pull them out earlier this month.
- Earlier this week US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said they would be redeployed to Iraq, where they could keep an eye on oil fields and monitor activity of the Islamic State terrorist group. Hours later, however, Iraq said they were not allowed to.
- In an emergency meeting on Wednesday, Esper and Iraq's defense minister agreed to allow the US troops to stay in Iraq for four weeks before going elsewhere, the Associated Press reported.
- It was not clear where the troops would go next.
The 1,000 US troops leaving Syria will be allowed to stay in Iraq for at most four weeks, Iraq's defense minister said Wednesday, in an embarrassing rebuff to President Donald Trump's plans for withdrawing from Syria.
Najah al-Shammari's comments to the Associated Press came shortly after his meeting with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who went to Baghdad to negotiate the redeployment of US troops in Iraq after they withdrew from Syria.
The emergency meeting came after Esper announced on Monday that the American troops would be stationed along the Iraq-Syria border.
The announcement was seemingly made without bringing Iraq on board first, as the Iraqi government said hours later that the US had not secured permission to do so.
Esper said at the time that US troops would help secure oil fields and monitor activity of the Islamic State terrorist group from Iraq.
Iraq says US troops leaving Syria can't redeploy there and have to leave in 4 weeks, a fresh embarrassment in Trump's botched withdrawal
The Pentagon announced earlier this week that US troops leaving Syria would move on to Iraq, but Iraq says they aren't allowed to.
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