Gordon Brown and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have announced that UK forces will leave Iraq next year having “completed their tasks.”
The announcement, made on Mr. Brown’s visit to Iraq for talks, follows a resolution passed by the Iraq Council of Ministers to allow British troops to stay in the country until the end of July 2009.
In a joint statement the Premiers said:
“The role played by the UK combat forces is drawing to a close. These forces will have completed their tasks in the first half of 2009 and will then leave Iraq.”
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Brown indicated that there was an agreement to end military operations by May 2009 and the withdrawal happen in the following two months, although the partnership between the two countries will continue.
Speaking to journalists later, the PM said he believed the British troops had done a “tremendous” job and could be proud of what they had achieved with only a few tasks left to complete before withdrawing next year.
Speeches and Transcripts: Transcript of Q&A with journalists in Basra
The current United Nations mandate to stay in Iraq expires at the end of December 2008. The PM is expected to make a statement to the House of Commons on his return from the visit tomorrow.
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