The aggravated situation in the Middle East is having an impact on the anti-terror coalition against the Islamic State. Around 120 Bundeswehr soldiers now have to stop training security forces.
The Bundeswehr has suspended the training of Kurdish and central government security forces in Iraq following the killing of Iranian general Ghassem Soleimani in a U.S. air strike. The headquarters of the coalition against the terrorist militia IS made a decision to protect its own forces, the Bundeswehr Operations Command announced to the officials in the Bundestag Defense Committee. This is binding for all participating partner nations. “This temporarily suspends training for the Iraqi security and armed forces throughout Iraq,” the statement said.
Security measures had already been strengthened in central Iraq. The headquarters of the military coalition there imposed restrictions on movements on the ground and in the air. The German contingent for international use against IS (“Counter Daesh”) currently counts 415 men and women. It is being led from Jordan, where around 280 soldiers are currently stationed. Almost 90 German armed forces are deployed in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq to train Kurdish forces there. Your training is now on hold.
There are currently 27 Bundeswehr soldiers training Iraqi forces in the Taji military complex, 30 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad. So far, ABC defense, logistics and building construction were on the program for pioneers. At the moment, however, only preparations for the next course, which is scheduled to start in mid-January, were underway in Taji. There are also five German soldiers at the headquarters of the anti-IS coalition in Baghdad.
Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Al-Kuds brigades, was killed in a US missile attack near the airport in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Thursday. The U.S. Department of Defense said the attack was ordered by President Donald Trump to prevent further attacks on U.S. diplomats and forces. Iran announced retribution.
German soldiers were already stuck in Iraq in May 2019 due to an escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf in the Taji camp. At that time, the US government had issued clear warnings about possible Iran-controlled attacks. Previously, there had been largely unexplained attacks against merchant ships and Saudi Arabian oil plants. Washington had identified the mastermind behind the crimes in Iran.
“Once again it becomes clear who is the cook and who is the waiter: The United States is violating international law, killing an Iranian general, of course not previously informing its allies and unilaterally declaring that all OIR operations for all participating states will be suspended until further notice,” criticized the left-wing defense politician Alexander Neu. “The Bundeswehr should never have participated in the US-led anti-IS operation. Now it must be withdrawn immediately and in its entirety.”
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