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US commander sees fewer foreign fighters in Iraq
BAGHDAD - Iraq has seen a significant fall in the number of foreign fighters arriving to battle U.S. and local forces, and efforts by neighbouring Syria are starting to bear fruit, U.S. General Ray Odierno said on Monday. We have seen a significant decrease in the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq in the last eight to 10 months, Odierno, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, told a news conference alongside the Iraqi defence and interior ministers. For the most part it has just been a trickle ... We have seen some fighters coming through Syria, but Syria has been taking some action over the last few weeks, so hopefully that will continue." Defence Minister Abdel Qader Jassim said the June 30 withdrawal of American soldiers from urban centres marked the start of an important new era building Iraqs institutions. Odierno said a very small number of U.S. troops will remain in some Iraqi towns and cities as trainers and advisers. The dark days of the previous years are behind us. Iraqis are able to live more normal lives, he said. It is a fitting time for our combat forces to move out. Posted by: Steve White 2009-06-16 |
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