soL English

32 people were killed because of the bombing attack in 30th June, declared as “Independence Day” and known as the day of withdrawal from Iraq. 250 people were killed and hundreds Iraqi people were wounded in the attacks within the latest 10 days admitted as eve of withdrawal.

soL (INTERNATIONAL) Military withdrawal period brought along the bombing attacks in Iraq in accordance with the agreement signed between the USA and Iraq.

35 people were killed and 91 people were wounded in the attacks in Kirkuk on the day of withdrawal, declared as “Independence Day” by the government. USA President Barrack Obama warned Iraqi security forces in his explanation, made after the attack, and he also demanded Shiite Leader Mukteda es-Sadr to withdraw completely.

June: The bloodiest month in the latest year
The month of June, in which withdrawal of soldiers from USA was on peak, made history as the bloodiest month between the latest 12 months in Iraq. 437 Iraqi people lost their lives in the attacks of June. That 250 of these losses were seen on the latest 10 days shows the number of the attacks increased while approaching the withdrawal day.

Sunni Revival Council, having bad relations with the government and taking sides in resistance because they can’t get their salaries, is estimated to lie behind the attacks surely. Revival Council, fighting against the resister groups and being paid, was financed by the USA army before the withdrawal.

Warning of Obama
The USA President Barack Obama warned Iraqi Government in the session of yesterday for Iraq to be alert after the attack in Kirkuk.

“There will be many people who would like to test the power of Iraqi Government by the bombing attacks and divide Iraqi people by bombs. Iraqi government will have tough days,” said Obama.

Sadr: “All occupation powers should withdraw”
Iraqi Shiite Leader Mukteda es-Sadr made an explanation yesterday through the official we site of Mahdi Army. “Existence of American soldiers in Iraq shows that the government and America are not serious about the withdrawal,” he continued.

Sadr explained after the withdrawal, 131 thousands soldiers and many private security members, intelligence members etc. were still in Iraq and he continued as following: “All occupation powers should withdraw: Army, intelligence, countering, private security companies and others. Otherwise the withdrawal will lose its meaning.”

Odierno admitted “half withdrawal”
Ray Odierno, commander of US forces in Iraq, admitted tacitly that USA army withdrew from the cities partly in the first press conference, organized after the withdrawal.

A journalist in the conference reminded Odierno, firstly made the explanation of “USA completed its withdrawal from the cities”, that many American soldiers were still in Iraqi cities. Odierno replied to the question of “How many American soldiers will stay in Iraqi cities” of the same journalist and in his answer he admitted tacitly the number of the soldiers staying in Iraq was very high. Odierno replied to this question saying “very few compared to today”. “I can’t state the definite number,” said General Odierno and he claimed USA soldiers met the necessities of Iraqi forces.

USA governance explained it would withdraw from the urban region until 30th June 2009 and from whole Iraq until end of the 2011 in the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed with Iraqi government.