The Philippines said Monday that it has completed the withdrawal of its forces from Iraq, meeting a demand by an Iraqi group threatening to behead a Filipino worker.
The last members of the force made an "exit call" on the new Polish commander at their base in Hillah, south of Baghdad, then waved as they left in six vehicles.
Foreign Secretary Delia Albert said they would travel by road to Kuwait then take a commercial flight home.
Earlier, an army general who headed the Philippines' military force in Iraq arrived home Sunday.
Brigadier-General Jovito Palparan arrived at Manila airport aboard a commercial flight at dawn, with 10 of his men set to fly in from Kuwait in the afternoon.
The remaining 32 members of the military-police contingent were expected to decamp from Iraq later Monday as President Gloria Arroyo's government, ignoring criticism from the interim Iraqi government, Washington and other members of the US-led occupation forces, pressed for the release of hostage Angelo de la Cruz, 46.
The kidnappers have threatened to behead de la Cruz unless Manila completed its pullout by month's end. The Filipino troops were earlier scheduled to complete their mission by August 20.
Meanwhile, a group close to al-Qaeda-linked activist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is offering a $280,000 reward for the killing of Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, according to a statement posted Sunday on an Islamic Web site.
The statement by the group Khalid bin Al Walid Brigade called Allawi an "American stooge" and said that its assassins were ordered to kill the prime minister and other Iraqi leaders.
"We vowed to God to kill you. Your head and those of your cronies are wanted by Sheikh Abu Musab al-Zarqawi," the statement said.
"If we cannot deliver the reward of 200,000 Jordanian dinars ($280,000) to whoever gets us Allawi's head, his reward will be delivered in Heaven by Almighty God," it said.
In its statement, the group said Allawi should step down and leave Iraq.
The group also slammed at the Iraqi interim president, Ghazi al-Yawer, describing him as a traitor. "God willing, there will be nonstop long lines of car bombs," said the statement. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
