German Defense Minister Cancels Iraq Trip on Security Concerns
- Decision came as delegation was preparing to leave Berlin
- Defense ministry said situation risks further deteriorating
Boris Pistorius
Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius canceled a trip to Iraq at the last minute, citing security risks in the country after unrest over perceived anti-Muslim demonstrations in Sweden intensified.
The highly unusual move came on Sunday with the plane carrying the minister and his delegation ready to take off from Berlin. The trip was part of the process to extend the parliamentary mandate for a small contingent of German military personnel who are training Iraqi troops.