Italy Confirms Troop Withdrawl From Iraq
Shaveta Bansal - All Headline News Contributor Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema on Wednesday announced that the country intendeds to pull out all its troops from Iraq by the end of the year. The announcement is in accordance with the one made by former Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, however this is the first time a schedule has been given. D'Alema said the "withdrawal will not begin suddenly but it will be gradual.'' While speaking at a joint news conference at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. He said the "security plan to transfer the security tasks from the Italian forces to the Iraqi forces" will start by the end of June. Italy has 2,700 troops based in Nasiriyah, and already has said it plans to pull out 1,600 of them this month. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has said that Iraqis would be ready to take over responsibility for the southeastern area where the Italians are based.
Article © All Headline News - All Rights Reserved
|
