Iraq Ready to Expel US Forces: Spokesman
Abdul Karim Khalaf said the Baghdad government has puts limits on the activities of the international coalition purportedly fighting Daesh (ISIL or ISIS), ninanews website reported.
Referring to a Friday US strike in Baghdad that killed Iranian top commander Qassem Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy head of Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha’abi (PMU), and a number of their entourage, Khalaf said the Americans carried out a unilateral operation without informing Iraqi armed forces.
He stressed that the Americans made a stupid mistake about which one cannot remain silent.
“Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s IRGC Quds Force, was a guest (of Iraq) and should not have been targeted,” he said.
Iraqi lawmakers on Sunday unanimously approved a bill, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign military forces led by the United States from the country following the assassination of General Soleimani and al-Muhandis.
The legislators used a extraordinary parliamentary session to vote on a resolution requiring the government to press Washington and its allies to withdraw their troops from Iraq.
The lawmakers, citing Articles 59 and 109 of the Constitution and in line with their national and regulatory responsibilities as representatives to safeguard the security and sovereignty of Iraq, had earlier singed a five-point bill as follows:
Firstly, the central government in Baghdad is obliged to cancel its request to the US-led military coalition, which was purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist on the grounds, now that military operations have ended in the country, and victory over Daesh has been achieved. The Iraqi government should therefore put an end to the presence of any foreign troops and prevent the use of the Iraqi airspace.
Secondly, the government and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces must announce the number of foreign trainers they need, along with their locations, responsibilities, and duration of their contracts.
Thirdly, the Iraqi foreign minister, on behalf of the government, must turn to the United Nations and the Security Council to file a complaint against the United States for violations of the Iraqi sovereignty and security.
Fourthly, the Iraqi government has been required to conduct a thorough investigation into the recent US airstrike in Baghdad and inform the parliament of its results within seven days from the date of the approval of this bill.
Finally, the plan comes into force once it obtains the parliamentary approval.
