Erbil (IraqiNews.com) The Kurdish Peshmerga Ministry has commented on suspension of the Canadian troops to the mission in Iraq, saying Canada withdrew from the U.S.-led Coalition around a year ago.

In remarks on Saturday, Jabbar al-Yawar, the secretary-general of the ministry, said “Canada withdrew from the international coalition a year ago.”

“I heard about Canada suspending its training to the Peshmerga troops from media channels,” he said. “In case Canada suspended the training to Peshmerga. It will not inform us about the decision, but will tell the Coalition led by the U.S.”

On Friday, Canada’s Defense Ministry said the special forces of the army suspended the assistance or the training to the Kurdish Peshmerga.

In a statement, the ministry said troops cooperated with Iraqi Kurdish troops in the past to suspend progress of Islamic State members.

As part of the military operations carried out by the Coalition, Canada increased the number of its special forces by three times in February 2016 to 210.

In October, the Canadian government decided suspending military aid to the local forces, in the wake of conflicts between the Iraqi and Peshmerga forces.

Canada is a member of the U.S.-led, 65-state international coalition fighting the Islamic State since the group emerged in 2014 to proclaim an “Islamic Caliphate” spanning a third of Iraq and Syria.





