Iraqi Cities to Kick Troops Out in June

The country says it won't extend U.S. troop withdrawal deadlines

Iraq confirmed Sunday that it will not allow U.S. troops to remain in any of its towns and cities beyond the end of June, putting an end to speculation that Americans would stay in the northern city of Mosul.

The country is committed to the deadlines laid out in the January 1 pact, which state the U.S. will extract its troops from Iraqi towns and cities by June and be fully withdrawn by 2011, Iraqi spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.

"These dates cannot be extended and this is consistent with the transfer and handover of responsibility to Iraqi security forces," Reuters reported Dabbagh said in a statement.

Mosul is considered the final stronghold in Iraq for insurgent groups and has recently been rocked by violent attacks and suicide bombs. Five American soldiers were killed in Mosul last month in a suicide attack, marking the year's most deadly attack on U.S. troops.

The city would've been the most likely place for U.S. combat troops to remain beyond the June deadline if the Iraqi government requested additional protection, said Major-General David Perkins, the chief American military spokesman in Iraq.

"It is quite honestly ... the one area where you are most likely to possibly see a decision for U.S. forces to remain there, probably more so than any other place, just based on the activity there (and) the capability of Iraqi security forces," Perkins said.

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