German tip for long-term survival in Iraq

German tip for long-term survival in Iraq

Has invested about $ 1.63 billion in the country since 2014

17/09/2018 - 11:54 Iraq



German Minister during a previous visit to the Kurdistan Region

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyne held talks in Baghdad on Sunday with her Iraqi counterpart Irfan al-Hayali on the ongoing operation of the German army in Iraq, which is taking part in the fight against an oppressive organization in Syria and Iraq from Jordan.

The Bundestag, the Bundestag, approved the extension of the mission's mandate to train Iraqi army specialists after Kurdish Peshmerga forces and also to advise the Iraqi government.

According to the German news agency, the mandate for the mission aimed at stabilizing Iraq, valid until 31 October, is extendable.

The Von der Line arrived in Arbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region yesterday evening coming from the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

Under the term "capacity-building", soldiers are currently being trained in central Iraq. A pilot project to train specialists on the use of the ABC defense system has already begun at a military complex in the northern Iraqi city of Taji on August 11. This will be followed by courses for logistics and medical functions.

The German minister said yesterday that she can not rule out a long-term deployment of German troops in the Middle East amid a broader debate about Germany's role in a possible military action in Syria. The minister made the remarks during a visit to the Jordanian Air Force base, where about 300 German soldiers are stationed, as well as a refueling aircraft and four Tornado aircraft carrying out reconnaissance missions in the context of US-led coalition operations against a sympathetic organization.

Asked whether Germany needed a strategic military base in the Middle East, von der Leyne said: "At first we have to end this deployment successfully. Let me say that I do not want to rule out the idea. " On Wednesday, von der Lin and other German officials called for concrete efforts to prevent the use of chemical weapons in Syria. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany could not simply ignore it if such attacks occurred. The German government has said it is in talks with the United States and other allies over possible involvement in military intervention if chemical weapons are used in the attack on Idlib, the last major stronghold controlled by the armed opposition in Syria.

Germany is under pressure from the United States to increase its defense spending and assume more responsibilities within the framework of NATO. Germany did not participate in military strikes by the United States, France and Britain in April on Syria after a chemical attack.

Later in the day, the German defense minister announced that her country's troops would be needed in Iraq for a long time to help rebuild its army. Germany, which has 125 troops in Iraq, is committed to supporting Baghdad during the reconstruction process now that the fighting has officially ended to restore the territory it controlled, "she said during a visit to German troops at the Taji military base, about 30 km north of Baghdad. Calling. She told reporters that Iraq needs not only stability, but also economic growth and cooperation, noting that Germany has invested about 1.4 billion euros (1.63 billion dollars) in Iraq since 2014. She added that the German forces will also advise the Iraqi Ministry of Defense on issues such as Mine clearance and development of defenses against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

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