Iraq signs troop-withdrawal agreements with Britain and Australia

Baghdad, Dec 31 (DPA) Iraq's defence ministry Wednesday signed two agreements on the withdrawal of British and Australian troops from the country, a ministry spokesman said.

The agreements came hours before the expiry of the United Nations Security Council Mandate. According to the agreements British and Australian troops will leave Iraq by July 2009.

Currently 4,100 British troops and 1,000 Australian troops are stationed in Iraq.

Iraq and the US signed a security agreement in November requiring all US troops to leave the country by mid-2010. Smaller contingents from different countries have already left Iraq.