Germany will withdraw troops from the northern Iraqi city of Erbil and close a field camp there, after US moves to remove a protection force as part of its own drawdown plans, Spiegel reported on Friday.
The troops will go by the end of September, Spiegel said, citing a parliamentary defense committee briefing. There are currently around 30 German soldiers stationed in the camp on the edge of the airport there, it added.
Germany has already sharply reduced its presence in the Middle East due to security risks posed by the Iran war.
A German defense ministry spokesperson said a briefing had taken place and that Germany was planning to reduce the number of soldiers there over the long term, without giving details on the timing or numbers involved.
“I want to emphasize that we are merely reducing our footprint; vital support services, such as those for the Peshmerga, will be maintained. To this end, a team of military advisers will remain at the embassy,” the spokesperson added.
German troops have been stationed in Erbil for years as part of Berlin’s contribution to the international coalition against Islamic State, providing training, advice and support to Kurdish Peshmerga forces.
When asked if the US plans had contributed to the move, the spokesperson said the decision was taken in coordination with partners.
“No single partner is decisive here. Rather, it is all of them together,” the spokesperson told a press conference.
