NATO is temporarily pulling some of its troops out of Iraq and moving others around within the country, Dylan White, acting spokesperson for the military alliance, said on Tuesday.
According to him, to protect the safety of its troops, NATO will take measures, including the temporary repositioning of some personnel to different locations both inside and outside of Iraq.
“NATO maintains a presence in Iraq. And, we are prepared to continue our training and capacity-building when the situation permits,” he said.
NATO had already suspended its training operations on the ground after the killing of a top Iranian military commander by the United States sent tensions spiralling in recent days.
U.S. Defence Secretary Mark Esper strongly suggested on Monday that the U.S. military would not violate the laws of armed conflict by striking Iranian cultural sites, a move threatened by President Donald Trump.
Read Also: German troops in Iraq to be partially moved to Jordan, Kuwait
Asked whether he was willing to target cultural sites, Esper told Pentagon reporters: “We will follow the laws of armed conflict.”
Pressed on whether he would then not target such sites, because that would be a war crime, Esper said: “That’s the laws of armed conflict.” He did not elaborate.
Targeting cultural sites with military action is considered a war crime under international law, including a U.N. Security Council resolution supported by the Trump administration in 2017 and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property.
Leave a Reply