Iraqi military denies abandoning positions at Saudi borderJuly 3, 2014 - 15:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iraqi military officials have denied that troops have abandoned positions along the border with Saudi Arabia. Interior ministry spokesman Brig Gen Saad Maan said the country's border force was functioning normally, BBC News reported. Earlier, al-Arabiya TV reported that Saudi Arabia had deployed 30,000 soldiers along the 900km (560-mile) frontier after Iraqi forces withdrew. The Saudi personnel were fanning out along the border to prevent attacks by jihadist-led Sunni rebels, it said. Last week, King Abdullah ordered all necessary measures to be taken to protect Saudi Arabia against "terrorist threats". On Wednesday, July 2, he discussed Iraq and the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis) with US President Barack Obama. Obama also thanked the Saudi monarch for his $500m donation to the United Nations to help it address the humanitarian crisis caused by the insurgency in Iraq. More than one million Iraqis have fled their homes over the month as Sunni rebels led by Isis overran Mosul, Tikrit and other cities and towns in the north and west. At least 2,461 people were killed in violent attacks in June, according to the UN and Iraqi authorities. Photo: Al-Manar Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Great success”: Pashinyan pleased with new border protocol Pashinyan has described the signing by Armenia and Azerbaijan of a protocol on delimitation in Tavush as “a great success”. Armenia, Azerbaijan sign protocol on demarcation coordinates Armenia’s government took on May 15 another step towards handing over four border areas to Azerbaijan. Power of One Dram sums up two-year program with Teach for Armenia Idram Junior also joined the companies during the visit, bringing with it a fascinating intellectual game for children |