Several people were hurling stones and vegetables at the US troops convoy coming to Kurdistan Region from northeastern Syria on Monday in anger to the pullback of the US forces. The US forces crossed into the Iraqi soil was previously approved by the Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi after he met with the US Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller on Sunday when later the former allowed the US forces to enter Iraq from northeastern Syria,. Iraqi PM said: “We will not allow any American force to enter Iraq without permission, but the [US] forces entered Iraq today was through coordination and permission with us,” Twelve people were arrested by Asayish (security) in Khabat district after hurling stones at a convoy.
US President Donald Trump says some American troops will stay in Syria despite his call for them to be pulled out. He said a small number would protect oil fields while others would stay near Israel and Jordan. Also added that US forces leaving Syria now would deploy elsewhere before returning to the United States. Trump defended the withdrawal decision saying, “we never agreed to protect the Kurds for the rest of their lives, I want to bring our soldiers back home, i have to do what I got elected on, and I have to do what I think is right”.
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior directed to put all of forces and security services in the case of full alert (c), as of Thursday morning, on the impact of the popular protests expected to take place. Mass demonstrations are expected in Baghdad and the rest of Iraq on Friday, October 25, to demand better living conditions, secure job opportunities and reject corruption.
