Italy to Begin Iraq Troop Withdraw

Italy will withdraw 1,000 of its 2,600 troops in Iraq by June and aims to finish its mission there by the end of this year.

Defence Minister Antonio Martino has told a parliamentary committee Italy will "gradually end" its military presence and phase into a new type of presence he said would be "substantially civilian in nature".

Italy, which has the fourth largest foreign contingent in Iraq, faces a general election next April where the unpopular Iraq war is likely to become an issue.

Most Italians and all opposition parties were opposed to the troop deployment.

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