Azerbaijani Parliament To Consider Troop Pullout From Iraq

BAKU (RFE/RL) -- The Azerbaijani parliament’s security and defense committee has decided to support President Ilham Aliyev's call for Azerbaijani troops to withdraw from Iraq when their term expires.

RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports that the issue will be considered at the next session of parliament, when a return date would be made.

Parliament deputy Agil Abbas -- a member of the security and defense committee -- said the troops will come home in accordance with the end of their mandate.

Abbas said that "there is no policy change on this issue. The agreement was only for five years and this term has expired."

About 150 Azerbaijani troops have been in Iraq since 2003. One soldier has been killed during the deployment.