Protests reason for Finland moving its forces in Iraq to Kurdistan: MP
The Finnish army announced earlier in the month that it would re-organize its crisis management operations in Iraq at the beginning of 2020 by moving their forces to the Kurdistan Region and end training in areas the Iraqi central government controls.
Read More: Finland to re-position crisis management forces in Iraq to Kurdistan Region
Based on its foreign and security policy, Finland contributes to international crisis management as part of the global efforts in the fight against the so-called Islamic State.
In the announcement, the army stated that their soldiers would be “re-deployed in Erbil and join Finnish troops stationed there where they will provide military assistance to the Peshmerga forces as part of the Kurdistan Training Coordination Centre.”
The re-location will be the end of Finnish protective forces in Iraq, as the contingent will join the operation with about 80 peacekeepers who will be training, mentoring, and support activities.
“If the situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate, other countries will withdraw their fighters from central and southern Iraq to the Kurdistan Region,” said international policy expert Aras Abdullah to Kurdistan 24.
Iraq has been engulfed in anti-government protests for nearly three months now, where over 500 people have been killed in clashes between security forces and demonstrators, and thousands of others injured.
The protests in Iraq reflect widespread dissatisfaction with the economy, availability of jobs, the dismal state of public services, and widespread government corruption.