France to stay in Iraq even if US troops withdraw: Emmanuel Macron

WION Web Team

Paris, FranceUpdated: Aug 28, 2021, 10:00 PM IST

File photo: French President Emmanuel Macron Photograph:(AFP)

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As the Afghan crisis worsens and US troops move towards the August 31 deadline, the French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France will stay back in Iraq even if the US troops withdraw

As the Afghan crisis worsens and US troops move towards the August 31 deadline, the French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France will stay back in Iraq even if the US troops withdraw.

His announcement came at a regional summit on Saturday in Iraq, that he attended as the threat of Taliban is spreading in the nearby areas of Afghanistan.

"No matter what choices the Americans make, we will maintain our presence in Iraq to fight against terrorism," Macron told a news conference in Baghdad. "We have the operational capacity to ensure this presence."

"We all know that we must not lower our guard, because Daesh (the Islamic State group) remains a threat, and I know that the fight against these terrorist groups is a priority of your government," Macron said.

He also added that France is in talks with the Taliban on humanitarian operations.

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Along with Macron, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also attended the Baghdad summit.

This summit comes at an important time when the Taliban has started its regime in Afghanistan, as the US withdraws its troops from the country. Meanwhile, ISIS-K has expressed its displeasure of Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan by launching deadly attacks that have taken more than 160 lives of locals in Kabul.

However, the summit got overshadowed by the happenings in Afghanistan. However, Macron said that "given the geopolitical events, this conference has taken a special turn".

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Taliban