US government employees ordered to leave Iraq 'immediately'

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Wed, 15 May 2019 - 07:20 GMT

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Wed, 15 May 2019 - 07:20 GMT

A helicopter carrying U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is seen taking off from Baghdad International Airport last week - Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

A helicopter carrying U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is seen taking off from Baghdad International Airport last week - Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

CAIRO - 15 May 2019: The United States on Wednesday ordered the departure of “non-emergency government employees” from Iraq, the US embassy in Baghdad said in a statement.

Referring to the embassy and the US consulate in Irbil, it said “normal visa services at both posts will be temporarily suspended. The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Iraq.”

The statement recommended those affected “depart by commercial transportation as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Germany is suspending military training operations in Iraq due to increasing regional tensions, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Germany has indications of potential attacks supported by Iran, he said, adding that this did not mean the training programs could not resume in the coming days.

Focus Online said the decision had been taken in coordination with partner countries fighting ISIS in the region.

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