Swedish military suspends operations in Iraq

The Swedish Armed Forces have suspended operations in Iraq following the U.S. deadly drone attack on senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, Swedish broadcaster SVT reported on Saturday.

"Due to the current situation, we are suspending our on-site operations," SVT quoted Swedish Armed Forces Information Officer Kristina Swaan as saying.

Sweden had 70 soldiers and officers on site in Iraq on a U.S. military base a few kilometers north of Baghdad.

"It is because of the tense situation there right now. That is why we have decided to suspend operations," said Swaan.

The Swedish personnel are on site to offer advice where needed, including to the Iraqi defense forces. Swaan failed to go into details about what the suspension means for the staff and whether they can be sent home to Sweden, the SVT report said.

"I can't answer that at the moment. We follow developments all the time. We will need to take measures. It is a dialogue between the Armed Forces and the Ministry," said Swaan.

Early on Friday, a U.S. drone attack killed Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and the Iraqi militia commander al-Muhandis. The attack took place on the road leading to Baghdad International Airport.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have vowed to retaliate against the United States over Soleimani's death.

Friday's attack came just days after Iraqi protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad over the U.S. air raids on Dec. 29 against five bases of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria that claimed the lives of 25 militants.