US left allies without protection from Iran - media
The US has withdrawn its air defense systems from the Erbil area in Iraqi Kurdistan, despite requests from local authorities and the ongoing threat from Iran. According to Kan 11, the withdrawal was completed in recent days, and Erbil has repeatedly been the target of missile and drone attacks. The decision is linked to a shift in priorities of the Trump administration and a US-Iraq agreement to end the military presence by the end of September. Kurdish authorities fear the region will become more vulnerable.
The United States has withdrawn its air defense systems from the Erbil area in Iraqi Kurdistan, despite requests from local authorities not to do so amid the ongoing threat from Iran. This was reported by the Kan 11 television channel. According to the channel, American military personnel completed the withdrawal of air defense systems from the area of the capital of the Kurdish autonomy in recent days. Erbil, in particular, has repeatedly been the target of missile and drone attacks since the start of the war with Iran. A senior representative of the Kurdish autonomy stated that the authorities repeatedly asked Washington to postpone the withdrawal of the systems, but their warnings were ignored. It is reported that until recently, American systems successfully repelled most air attacks, covering not only US military facilities but also Kurdistan's infrastructure and residential areas of Erbil. According to Kan 11's assessment, the decision is linked to a shift in priorities of President Donald Trump's administration. Washington has focused on other directions in the region, and Kurdistan is no longer considered one of the key objects of American military support. The withdrawal of weapons also takes place within the framework of an agreement between the US and Iraq, which provides for the end of the American military presence in the country by the end of September. Against this backdrop, the leadership of the Kurdish autonomy fears that the weakening of the air defense system could make the region more vulnerable in the event of new attacks.