Italy to pull 1,100 troops from Iraq in June
Italy will pull 1,100 of its troops from Iraq in June, the new government said Friday, giving its first specific numbers about the planned withdrawal.
"In June we will reduce our troops from 2,700 to 1,600," Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said during an evening television show.
His announcement came hours after he met with Premier Romano Prodi to map Italy's exit strategy from the US-led coalition.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Most Italian troops in Iraq are in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. They are involved in training, security and reconstruction.
The decision to withdraw this many troops by June belongs to the previous government of conservative Silvio Berlusconi. The new centre-left government of Romano Prodi was merely staying with it for the time being, Foreign Ministry spokesman Pasquale Terracciano said.
"The next steps have not been decided yet," Terracciano said.