The Iraqi military says US forces that have crossed into Iraq as part of a pullout from Syria do not have permission to stay on Iraqi soil and can only be there if they are later being transported out of the country.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media.

“All US forces that withdrew from Syria received approval to enter the Kurdistan Region so that they may be transported outside Iraq. There is no permission granted for these forces to stay inside Iraq,” the military said in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement contradicted an announcement by Pentagon chief Mark Esper on Saturday that all of the nearly 1,000 troops withdrawing from northern Syria were expected to move to western Iraq to allegedly continue the campaign against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and “to help defend Iraq.”