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Syria demands immediate withdrawal of Turkish and U.S. forces from the country

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Head of the Syrian Arab Republic delegation to Astana 8 meeting, Dr. Bashar al-Jafari, affirmed that the Syrian government considers the presence of Turkish and US troops on its territory as an aggression and demands immediate and unconditional withdrawal of foreign forces from its territory, Mehr agency reported.

In a press conference following the end of Astana 8 meeting on Friday, al-Jaafari said that the eighth round of the Astana process dealt with the agreement of de-escalation zones, especially in the province of Idlib, adding that the Syrian government considers the presence of Turkish troops on the Syrian territory as an aggression that contradicts what was agreed upon in the fourth round of Astana in last May.

Syria demands immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Turkish troops from its territory

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Damascus, SANA – “Syria condemns in the strongest possible terms the incursion of Turkish army units into Idleb province, stressing that it constitutes a blatant aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and a flagrant violation of international law, a source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

The source added that the Turkish aggression has nothing to do with what has been agreed upon by the guarantor states during the latest round of talks in Astana, emphasizing that Turkey should abide by provisions of Astana statement.

It noted that the Turkish troops dashed into Idleb province accompanied by Jabhat a-Nusra terrorists which shows clearly the close relationship between Turkish regime and terrorist groups, a matter that the international community should pay more attention to and take firm stance in order to oblige Turkey to end its support to terrorism which managed to shed the blood of Syrian people and destabilize the region and the entire world.

The Syrian Arab Republic demands an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Turkish troops from the Syrian territories, stressing that the Turkish flagrant aggression cannot be justified in any way.

 

Germany Starts Military Withdrawal From Turkish Incirlik Airbase

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Germany Starts Military Withdrawal From Turkish Incirlik AirbaseGermany started on Sunday the withdrawal of its forces from the Turkish Incirlik airbase, what was approved by Bundestag in June following Berlin’s row with Ankara, German media reported.

BERLIN (Sputnik) – First of all, Berlin will pull out tanker aircraft and reconnaissance Tornado jets, Der Spiegel magazine reported, citing its sources.

The Tornado jets will reportedly be withdrawn from Turkey to Germany until the end of July. After that, in a month and a half, the aircraft will be moved to a base in Jordan.

The conflict between Berlin and Ankara dates back to May, when Turkey blocked a group of German lawmakers from visiting servicemen stationed at Incirlik, which has been used by Berlin to carry out reconnaissance flights as part of the international operation against against the Daesh (outlawed in Russia) terrorist organization. Mustafa Yeneroglu, a Turkish lawmaker representing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), told Sputnik that the decision to ban German lawmakers from entering the base was made due to the threat posed by politicians who supported the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey.

To resolve the dispute between the two states, the German government backed the relocation of German troops from the Incirlk base. According to German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, the German military airplanes and equipment will be moved to airfield Azraq in northern Jordan.

Breaking News: Putin Orders Start of Withdrawal From Syria Starting Tuesday

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New-Breaking-News-gagrule-2sputniknews.com Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Moscow will begin withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria.

On Monday, President Putin indicated that the Kremlin will start withdrawing its main forces in Syria, saying that the military has largely achieved its objectives.

The withdrawal will begin on Tuesday.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has informed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of the decision.

Iraqi defense spokesman: Turkish forces withdrawal empty statements, done nothing

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-Despite the announcement of a “partial withdrawal” of Turkish forces from a training camp near the ISIS-controlled northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Ankara has done nothing to follow up on itsempty statements, the Iraqi defense ministry says.

In fact there is no Turkish troop withdrawal. There are just statements from Anakara,” said Iraqi defense ministry spokesman Nasir Nouri Mohammed, TASS reported. According to the spokesman, Ankara’s forces “only slightly relocated near the same positions.”

This cannot even be called a “partial withdrawal,” Nouri Mohammed said, let alone a full withdrawal of the Turkish contingent.

Tensions between the two countries have increased dramatically since Turkey reinforced its military deployment in Iraq with about 150 soldiers backed by artillery and around 25 tanks in a base near the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL)-controlled northern Iraqi city of Mosul on December 4.

The Iraqi government considered this action as an hostile act in violation of its sovereignty and demanded the immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops.

Nouri Mohammed expressed hope that Turkey would follow up on its promises and will proceed to the “actual withdrawal” of its contingent. Yet, the spokesman reiterated, “no concrete steps” have been taken by Ankara so far.

On Sunday, the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced the withdrawal of military troops from Iraq to reduce tensions following international criticism. The decision to pull out troops also came after Iraq brought the issue to the United Nations Security Council.

Yet despite the announcement made by Erdogan on December 20, Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu said Tuesday that the troops will remain in Iraq to fight IS militants. According to the PM, Turkish training and equipment mission for Iraq will continue until IS-held Mosul is liberated.

“Within this framework and in line with Iraqi authorities’ demands, we have been providing training and equipment to both the Peshmerga and the local Mosul volunteers. Our support will continue until Mosul is liberated,” Davutoglu said, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Addressing national assembly members on Tuesday, Turkish defense minister Ismet Yilmaz said that IS is a direct security threat for Turkey.

“Ensuring Iraq’s stability passes from neutralizing Daesh [the Arabic name for IS]. This can only be possible through the recapture of Mosul, which has, in the first place, strategic importance,” he said.

IS captured Iraq’s second-largest city in 2014. The United States and its allies have been carrying out air strikes against Islamist militants in Iraq since August 2014, but are yet to produce any tangible results.

Report: Terrorist State of Turkey Withdrawal of Turkish Troops From Northern Iraqi Province Underway

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indexTurkey continues the process of its troops’ withdrawal from the Iraqi province of Nineveh, the country’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On December 4, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to the Bashiqa camp in the northern Iraqi province, without Baghdad’s approval, allegedly as part of an international mission to train and equip Iraqi forces to fight Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh in Arabic).

Ankara started withdrawing its troops on December 14, after Iraq had officially filed a complaint with the UN Security Council, calling on the United Nations to ensure an immediate pullout of the Turkish forces from its country’s territory.

“Turkey, in recognition of the Iraqi concerns and in accordance with the requirements of the fight against DAESH, is continuing to move military forces from Ninewa [Nineveh] province that were the source of the miscommunication,” the ministry said in a statement.

On Friday, US President Barack Obama urged his Turkish counterpart to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq and take additional steps to deescalate tensions with the country, including by continuing to withdraw Turkish military forces.

Iraq calls on NATO to force withdrawal of Turkish forces

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Haider al-Abadi. Photo: AFP.

Haider al-Abadi. Photo: AFP.

By Rudaw,

ERBIL, Kurdistan – NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg vowed Tuesday  to preserve the integrity and sovereignty of Iraq, after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called on the organization to use its authority to force a withdrawal of Turkish forces from Iraq.

“In a phone call with Jens Stoltenberg, Haider al-Abadi, prime minister of Iraq, said that Turkey deployed its troops in Iraq without Baghdad’s consent and that we refuse the present of Turkish forces from the land of Iraq,” Abadi’s office said in an announcement Tuesday.

“Before the ending of a 48 hour ultimatum to withdraw forces, Iraq will through diplomatic channels call on Turkey to abide by Baghdad’s decree to withdraw its forces immediately, because they have explicitly violated the sovereignty of Iraq,” Abadi had said.

He called on NATO to “use its authority against Turkey to withdraw its troops from Iraq.”

Stoltenberg assured Abadi that the issue would be discussed inside NATO, and stressed that the issue can only be resolved through diplomatic negotiations,

On Saturday, Turkey revealed it had been training Peshmerga forces in four provinces in Iraq, after Baghdad disclosed that fresh forces had been sent into Iraq without consultations with the central government.

A new force of some 150 trainers was relieving the previous team, it said.

On Sunday, Baghdad gave Turkey 48 hours to withdraw the forces.

ISIS GodFather Davutoglu: Turkey will not withdraw troops from Mosul

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177495Image1ERBIL, Kurdistan Region- Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday that Turkey refuses to withdraw troops after Baghdad has reportedly given  them 48 hours to leave.

The announcement came during a Turkish security council meeting regarding the presence of Turkish troops near the Islamic State stronghold Mosul in northern Iraq.

On Sunday, Baghdad reportedly gave Turkish troops 48 hours to leave Iraq, following a late night meeting by Iraq’s National Security Council.

“Turkey’s forces have entered Iraq without our consent and the Iraqi government has not been informed. We consider the act as a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and disrespecting a neighbor,” said the statement, following the meeting held by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

“Baghdad has the right to use all means against Turkey including contacting the (UN) Security Council if Turkish forces do not leave the land in 48 hours,” the statement continued.

Davutoglu has reportedly reassured Iraq that Turkish troops would not be sent into the city of Mosul without Baghdad’s consent.

“There will be no deployment of forces to Bashika (Mosul city) until the sensitivities of Iraq are addressed,” Davutoglu said.

Turkey Has 24 Hours to Withdraw Troops From Iraq – PM Abadi

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1031289080Turkey must withdraw its troops from Iraq within 24 hours to avoid the matter being reviewed by the UN Security Council, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi said Monday.

DUBAI (Sputnik) — On Friday, media reports emerged of up to 150 Turkish military personnel having been deployed in northern Iraq’s Nineveh province, allegedly to provide training to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.

On Sunday, Baghdad said it would use all available options, including an address to the UN Security Council, if Turkey failed to withdraw its troops from northern Iraq within 48 hours.

“We demand from Turkey that it respect Iraq’s sovereignty, we gave them 48 hours to resolve the issue and now there are only 24 hours,” Abadi said, as quoted by his press office.

Iraqi President Demands Withdrawal of Turkish Troops from Northern Iraq

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1031304721Iraqi President Fuad Masum has called on the Turkish authorities to withdraw troops from his country in order to avoid the deterioration of bilateral relations, a presidential statement obtained by Sputnik said Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Friday, various media reports said that about 130 Turkish military personnel had been deployed to the Mosul area in Iraq allegedly to provide training to Kurdish Peshmerga militia fighting against the Islamic State jihadist group (ISIL, or Daesh in the Arab world).

Masum called the Turkish initiative a “violation of international norms, laws and Iraq’s national sovereignty.”

“We call on the responsible authorities of the Republic of Turkey to withdraw its armed forces from Iraqi territory and warn against a repetition of such incidents, deteriorating relations between two neighbouring states and increasing tension in the region,” the statement read.

The Iraqi president also ordered the government and ministries, especially the Foreign Ministry to take the necessary measures to preserve the sovereignty and independence of Iraq and maintain good relations with Turkey, according to the document.

Baghdad Summons Turkish Envoy Over Troops’ Deployment in Iraq

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has summoned the Turkish envoy in Baghdad on Saturday over the deployment of Turkish forces near the northern city of Mosul, Reuters reported.

On Friday, various media reports said that about 130 Turkish military personnel had been deployed to the Mosul area in Iraq allegedly to provide training to Kurdish Peshmerga militia fighting against Daesh (also known as ISIL or the Islamic State terrorist group).

The Iraqi ministry described the deployment of Turkish forces in Iraq without the permission of Baghdad as a “hostile act.”

Earlier in the day, Baghdad has called on Ankara to “immediately” withdraw its forces, including tanks and artillery, which it has deployed in the country’s northern Ninawa province, without Baghdad’s consent, according to a statement from the press service of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi obtained by RIA Novosti.

Moreover, Iraqi authorities called on Turkey to “respect good neighborly relations” and “immediately withdraw its military from the territory of Iraq.”