Iraq says no need for foreign forces

Iraq has rejected the need for the deployment of any foreign forces on its soil to battle the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group amid US plans to station a contingent of Special Forces there.

“We do not need foreign ground combat forces on Iraqi land,” Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday.

The Iraqi government “stresses that any military operation or the deployment of any foreign forces – special or not – in any place in Iraq cannot happen without its approval and coordination and full respect of Iraqi sovereignty,” he said.
The remarks came after US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Washington was sending an “expeditionary” group of its special forces to Iraq. He said the forces may also take part in operations inside neighboring Syria.

The Iraqi popular defense groups of Kata’ib Hezbollah, the Badr Movement, and Asaib Ahl al-Haq also reacted to the announcement by pledging to combat any US troops deployed to the conflict-hit country.