Washington orders its employees to leave Iraq

SANAA, May 15 (YPA) – The US State Department on Wednesday ordered the departure of “non-emergency government employees” from Iraq, the US embassy in Baghdad said in a statement.

Referring to the embassy and the US consulate in Irbil, it said “normal visa services at both posts will be temporarily suspended.

“The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Iraq, ”the statement read.

The statement recommended those affected “depart by commercial transportation as soon as possible.”

E.M