Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq
 
    WARSAW, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- New Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich confirmed Saturday that Poland will end its military presence in Iraq in 2008.

    The details of the withdrawal would be announced next Friday when new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk outlines his government's policies in parliament, said Klich who took up his post on Friday.

    This marked a sharp turn from the previous government's plan to send a new contingent of soldiers to Iraq in 2008.

    Tusk's Civic Platform party won last month's snap elections, with a pledge to pull out troops from Iraq, among other things.

    Poland has been seen as one of the United States' closest allies over Iraq. Currently, it has about 900 troops deployed in the war-torn country, much less than the 2,600 troops deployed there in 2003.

    Last month, Polish Ambassador Edward Pietrzyk was badly injured and his driver killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.

    Since 2003, 22 Polish soldiers have been killed in Iraq.