The request signals Abdul-Mahdi’s insistence on ending the American military presence despite recent moves to de-escalate tensions between Iran and the U.S.
This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy.In this May 15, 2019, file photo, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi speaks to the media in Ankara, Turkey. Abdul-Mahdi asked U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to begin working on a road map for an American troop withdrawal from Iraq, his office said Friday.
Iraqi lawmakers passed a resolution Sunday to oust U.S. troops, following the Jan. 3 U.S. drone strike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and senior Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad’s airport. The nonbinding vote put the responsibility on the government to formally request a withdrawal. Abdul-Mahdi, addressing lawmakers at the time, called for “urgent measures” to ensure the removal of the troops.
The State Department acknowledged that Pompeo had called Abdul-Mahdi but made no mention of U.S. troops in a readout of the call released late Thursday. Still, the demand for withdrawal is not universal. Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers opposed the Parliament resolution. The Sunnis see the U.S. presence as a bulwark against domination by the majority Shiites and Iran, while the Kurdish security forces had benefited from American training and aid.
Rival political factions have yet to agree on a nominee to replace the outgoing Abdul-Mahdi, who resigned in December under pressure from mass protests.
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