Javad al-Saadi said on Sunday that September 30 is the set date for the departure of US forces, including those based in the Kurdistan region.
“There is no discussion about extending the deadline,” al-Saadi noted, accoridng to Press TV, adding that the Iraqi government has confirmed the withdrawal date as final.
Iraq no longer needed foreign forces because its security forces could protect the country and deal with threats, he noted.
After the US withdrawal, Baghdad would focus on strengthening the army and security forces, al-Saadi added,
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has also confirmed that all US-led coalition forces would leave Iraq on September 30, while military spokesperson Sabah al-Numan said Iraqi forces had proved their ability to manage national security independently.
On September 1, Iraqi government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said the country’s prime minister had rejected a US request to keep part of coalition forces in Iraq beyond the deadline.
Meanwhile, Iraqi resistance groups warned on September 3 that they would attack US forces if they remained in Iraq after the deadline.
“We are closely monitoring circumstances in the lead-up to September 30, and are prepared to wage a decisive battle against the occupation forces if they renege on their commitment to withdraw completely from Iraqi soil and airspace,” Secretary General of the Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Sheikh Akram al-Kaabi, warned.
He warned that any US soldier who remained after September 30 “would go back in a coffin” and warned the resistance would target US military positions if Washington failed to complete the withdrawal.
The deadline follows a 2024 agreement between Baghdad and Washington to end the US-led coalition’s mission against the Daesh terrorist group.
Iraqi army, police, and Popular Mobilization Forces have since taken responsibility for security nationwide.
MNA
