- Title: U.S. defence minister to discuss Syria troop withdrawal with Iraqi counterpart
- Date: 23rd October 2019
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER. 23, 2019 (REUTERS) U.S. DEFENCE SECRETARY MARK ESPER ARRIVING AT IRAQ'S DEFENCE MINISTRY HEADQUARTERS, ESPER EXITING CAR / SHAKING HANDS WITH IRAQ'S DEFENCE MINISTER NAJAH AL-SHAMMARI / ESPER AND AL-SHAMMARI WALKING ALONG RED CARPET
- Embargoed: 6th November 2019 10:04
- Keywords: U.S. Iraq defence ministers meet Syria U.S. withdrawal from Syria Mark Esper Najah Al-Shammari
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001B2BJLTZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. Defence Secretary Mark Esper arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday (October 23), where he is likely to face questions about how long U.S. troops withdrawing from northeast Syria will stay in Iraq.
The Iraq military said on Tuesday (October 22) that U.S. forces crossing into Iraq as part of a pull-out from Syria do not have permission to stay and can only be there in transit.
While Esper initially told reporters the troops withdrawing from Syria would go to western Iraq to fight Islamic State and "help defend Iraq," he said on Tuesday that Washington aimed to eventually bring the troops back to the United States.
Esper met his Iraqi counterpart Najah al-Shammari and is expected to meet Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to discuss the U.S. troop drawdown from Syria and the role Iraq will play in it.
(Production: Haider Kadhim, Mohammed Al-Ramahi, Maher Nazeh, Mohammed Katfan, Louisa Naks) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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