BAGHDAD, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- German forces concluded their military advisory mission in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region on Wednesday, marking the end of years of operation within the U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group.
An official ceremony was held at Erbil International Airport to mark the end of the German mandate, according to a statement from the regional Peshmerga authorities.
The ceremony highlighted Germany's role in supporting the Peshmerga forces, particularly in confronting and defeating IS terrorists, it said.
The withdrawal came as Iraq prepares for the complete pullout of international coalition forces by Sept. 30, a key milestone recently reaffirmed by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to mark the country's full sovereignty.
The U.S.-led international coalition was formed in 2014 to assist Iraqi security forces in combating IS. After the group's territorial defeat in Iraq in 2017, Baghdad has repeatedly called for ending the coalition's military mandate and transitioning toward bilateral security partnerships with member states. ■
