AMMAN: Germany will continue to participate in the battle against Daesh, even after the extremists suffered territorial losses, the German defense minister said Saturday as she visited German troops at a Jordanian air base.
The German contingent has been stationed since October at the Azraq air base in northern Jordan from where German aircraft have been flying reconnaissance and refueling missions as part of the international military campaign against IS.
Jordan, which borders former IS strongholds in neighboring Syria and Iraq, has been a key ally in the US-led campaign.
In recent months, the Daesh group has lost large swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq, raising questions about the future scope of the anti-IS mission.
German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Saturday that the fight against the militants would continue, in part to ensure they don’t take root in rear positions.
The international community faces continued challenges, including stabilizing the region in the long term, said the minister, who was accompanied by a group of German parliamentarians. “It’s important to me that Germany give assurances that we are reliable,” she said.
Four German reconnaissance planes and a refueling aircraft fly missions from Azraq, with an average of 280 German troops stationed there.
The contingent was initially stationed in Turkey, but moved to Jordan after Turkey repeatedly barred German parliamentarians from visiting the troops.
Germany to continue battle against Daesh
Germany to continue battle against Daesh
Norway moves some of its 60 soldiers in Middle East due to security situation
- Norway declined to say how many soldiers it was relocating and which locations were affected
- Norway has forces stationed in several sites in Iraq and other nearby countries
COPENHAGEN: Norway is relocating some of the around 60 soldiers it has in the Middle East to Norway as well as to other countries in the region on security grounds, a spokesperson for the Norwegian armed forces said on Friday.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Thursday it must make a deal over its nuclear program or “really bad things” will happen, setting a deadline of 10 to 15 days, drawing a threat from Tehran to retaliate against US bases in the region if attacked.
Norway declined to say how many soldiers it was relocating and which locations were affected.
“These are soldiers who have jobs like training local forces and other missions,” Lt. Col. Vegard Finberg from the Norwegian Joint Headquarters told Reuters.
“The way the situation is now, it’s not possible for them to do their primary tasks, and that’s why we are relocating them,” he said, adding other nations had made similar moves in recent days.
Norway has forces stationed in several sites in Iraq and other nearby countries.
