After a week of escalating tensions in Iraq, the US-led anti-jihadist coalition announced on Sunday that it will suspend training for Iraqi forces and the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.
“We are now fully engaged in protecting Iraqi bases that host coalition troops. This limits our ability to conduct training with partners and support their operations against Daesh, so we have suspended these activities. "Said the coalition in a statement.
For more than two months, thirteen rocket attacks, attributed by Washington to pro-Iran Iraqi factions, have targeted American interests in Iraq, including military bases. On Saturday, a powerful pro-Iran faction gave Iraqi soldiers until Sunday evening to move away from these bases, raising fears of more attacks.
For its part, the Iraqi parliament asked the government on Sunday to "end the presence of foreign troops" in Iraq, starting with "withdrawing its request for assistance" addressed to the international community to fight the Islamic State group.