TEHRAN (FNA)- The US army is planning to set up a new military base in Erbil province in Iraq’s Kurdistan, a well-informed source said on Sunday.
The source said that the US has paved way for transferring its forces from Syria to Iraq, disclosing that Washington is planning to build a base in Saqlawah in Erbil province in Northern Iraq.
In the meantime, al-Arabiyah satellite network reported that the US already set up a military base in Harir region near the town of Shaqlaqah which is the United States’ fifth base in Iraq’s Kurdistan.
It further added that almost 2,000 US forces will be transferred to Iraq to be deployed at a base 60km from border with Iran.
On Saturday, the Arabic-language al-Ma’aloumah news website quoted a well-informed source as disclosing that the US army built a military airport in Arbat region in Sulaymaniyah province in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.
It went on to say that the US spent almost $8mln to build the base that will solely work on monitoring movement and traffic of the US forces.
It further said that the airport has a very large runway which is suitable for the landing and take off of military and non-military planes, adding that the US army has claimed that the airport has been built for agricultural purposes.
It takes almost 35 minutes of flying from the new airport to Sulaymaniyah airport.
Baghdad Opposes Relocation of US Soldiers from Syria to Iraq
TEHRAN (FNA)- Baghdad has voiced its opposition to the US pressures to deploy the country’s military forces in Iraq after their withdrawal from Syria, a senior Iraqi MP said.
The Arabic-language Afaq news website quoted Amer al-Fayez, a senior Iraqi legislator, as saying on Sunday that the Iraqi government has rejected Washington’s demands to send its forces from Syria to Iraq.
He quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi as saying that deployment of new military forces is rejected and impossible without a parliament approval.
“The US side has pressured the prime minister so much, but he has rejected it so far,” Fayez said.
Media reports had said earlier that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has discussed the issue with Abdul Mahdi in a phone conversation.
But the Iraqi prime minister’s office said in a statement on Saturday that Abdul Mahdi and Pompeo discussed the US withdrawal from Syria and Washington’s decision to grant Iraq a 90-day extension on a waiver from sanctions against Iran that would allow Baghdad to purchase electricity from Tehran during the phone conversation.
Long US Convoy Dispatched to Kurdish-Held Regions in Northeastern Syria
TEHRAN (FNA)- A US-led coalition convoy of 150 trucks of troops and equipment has been forwarded to regions controlled by the Washington-backed militias in Northeastern Syria after President Donald Trump called for troops pullout from Syria, a Turkish state-owned daily reported on Sunday.
Yeni Safak claimed that 150 trucks, carrying arms and ammunition, have been sent by the US army to Kurdistan’s People Protection Units (PKK), a military branch of the Democratic Unity Party in Northeastern Syria.
The US army’s move came after the US presidents’ decision to pullout forces from Syria, the paper said, adding that the convoy crossed Iraqi border into the border towns of Qamishlit and Drik 24 hours after Trump called for the troops pullout.
The daily went on to say that a sum of 500 US’ trucks of arms and ammunitions have been forwarded to bases of the PKK and other People’s Protection Units during the past week.
The London-based pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said earlier this month that the US-led coalition forwarded a sum of 150 vehicles carrying military-logistic equipment to the SDF-held regions on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River via Simalka passageway at Iraq-Syria border.
It further said that the convoy has been sent to the coalition bases in Raqqa, Aleppo, Hasaka and Deir Ezzur provinces, adding that more convoys will be sent to the US bases in Syria in coming days.
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