Italy to halve Iraq contingent this year (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, February 13 - Italy is to halve its 1,500-strong military contingent in Iraq this year, the defence ministry confirmed Tuesday. Italy will "guarantee its commitment in Iraq inside the Coalition, reducing by about a half its military deployment on the basis of developments in the security situation and the Iraqi needs and on the basis of future common objectives agreed during an anti-ISIS ministerial meeting which took place in Rome today," it said.
    photo: Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti