SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The German Bundestag on Friday voted in favor of extending the country’s military mission in Iraq including the Kurdistan Region, extending it for an extra year.
The parliament of Germany with the majority of votes decided to extend the mandate after it convened.
The German armed forces are deployed in Iraq as well as in the Kurdistan Region to train and advise the local armed forces against the threat of the Islamic State (ISIS) as a part of the U.S.-led coalition forces to defeat the terrorists.
The military mission was supposed to stay until Oct. 2022, however, the Bundestag decided to extend that mandate for an extra year.
“The military mission will stay until the end of Oct. 2023 to train and advise the local forces,” the Bundestag in a statement said.
“German armed forces– are stationed in the country to ensure the stabilization efforts and prevention of Islamic State militants’ resurgence in Iraq,” read the statement.
There are around 500 German soldiers stationed in Iraq, according to the statement.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has welcomed the decision by Germany.
“I welcome the Bundestag’s vote today to extend the Bundeswehr mission in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” Barzani in a tweet said. “We have been drawn together by a shared resolve to not let tyranny take root in our region.”
