Canada issues travel advisory on Iraq

By Seyit Aydogan

TORONTO (AA) - Canada's Foreign Office issued advice Saturday against all but essential travel to Iraq in the wake of the killing of top Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike.

It said citizens should not to travel to Iraq unless necessary and urged Canadian citizens to be cautious and keep abreast of developments.

When NATO announced temporarily suspended its training programs in Iraq, it was stated that 850 Canadian policemen and troops would be withdrawn from the country that were training Iraqi police and soldiers.

The U.S. confirmed early Friday that it killed Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad.

The attack came amid heightened tensions after thousands of Iran-backed protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday.

Soleimani's death marked a dramatic escalation in tensions between the U.S. and Iran, which has been at a fever pitch since American President Donald Trump decided in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw Washington from a 2015 nuclear pact world powers struck with Tehran.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who gave Soleimani the country's highest honor last year, vowed "severe retaliation" in response to his killing.

Soleimani was the long-time commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, which was designated a terror group by the U.S. The group is estimated to have 20,000 members.

Khamenei, on Friday, issued a decree appointing Soleimani’s long-time Lt. Gen. Esmail Qaani the new leader of the Quds Force.

He also declared three days of national mourning.