UK Confirms Withdrawal of Its Troops from Iraq After End of International Coalition Operations Against (ISIS)

London, September 30 (KUNA) -- Britain confirmed on Wednesday that its forces operating as part of the international coalition against the ISIS terrorist group have departed Iraq after ten years of various military and security operations. The British Ministry of Defense stressed in a statement that the United Kingdom will continue to support Iraq’s security and stability and work closely with Iraqis to develop a sustainable bilateral defense partnership. The ministry clarified that Britain’s commitment to Iraq and the region as a whole will remain firm, built on close cooperation spanning more than a decade, expressing its aspiration to build a bilateral defense partnership with Iraq, particularly in counter-terrorism, military training and its applications, and the defense industry. The statement noted that over the past ten years, the United Kingdom has played a leading role through Operation Shader, during which British forces provided support, training, and assistance to more than 111,000 members of the Iraqi security forces, covering vital skills in infantry operations, weapons maintenance, counter-improvised explosive device measures, medical services, and engineering. (End) M.R.N. / S.M.A.