Germany withdraws some troops from Iraq as tensions soar

Germany says it has temporarily withdrawn some of its troops deployed as part of the anti-Islamic State coalition in Iraq, in the latest fallout over the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general.

A total of 32 German soldiers based in Camp Taji near Baghdad have been flown by a military transporter A400m to the al-Azraq air-force base in Jordan, the German military says in a statement.

Three German soldiers stationed in Baghdad, the headquarters of the coalition fighting against the Islamic State jihadist group, have been transferred to Kuwait.

“These troops can be brought back at any time if the training in Iraq is to resume,” the statement adds. “The safety of our soldiers remains a top priority.”

— AFP