Milli Majlis commission approves the President’s address on withdrawal of Azerbaijani peacekeepers from Iraq

The Azerbaijan Milli Majlis (Parliament) Standing Commission for Security and Defense held hearings on withdrawal of Azerbaijani peacekeepers serving in Iraq as a part of International Coalition Forces, member of the commission Zahid Oruj told APA.

He said the President of Azerbaijan addressed the Parliament on this issue on November 7. The Commission approved the address and decided to discuss it at the plenary session of the Parliament. The lawmaker said peacekeepers should be withdrawn because term of their mandate in Iraq expires. “Azerbaijani peacekeepers have been serving in Iraq for five years and their mandate expires this year. Kazakhstan, Poland, Korea and other countries have already pulled back their troops from Iraq”.
According to the Parliament’s decision, 151 Azerbaijani peacekeepers have served in Iraq as a part of International Coalition Forces since August 15, 2003. Azerbaijani peacekeepers under the US Command are defending al-Haditha water reservoir and water power station, which supplies 30 percent of electricity of Iraq.
One Azerbaijani soldier was killed in Iraq over the past five years.