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Killing of Iranian general sparks concerns for safety of Canadian troops
OTTAWA — The safety of Canadians in the Middle East is the government’s “paramount concern” following the death of a top Iranian general in an American airstrike, Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Friday.
Gen. Qassem Soleimani was the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, and was killed in Baghdad, Iraq, late Thursday. U.S. President Donald Trump accused Soleimani of plotting to kill Americans, and the death has prompted a vow of “harsh retaliation” from Iran’s supreme leader.
Champagne said Canada remains in contact with its international partners.
“The safety and well-being of Canadians in Iraq and the region, including our troops and diplomats, is our paramount concern,” he said in a statement.