Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    MOSCOW, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan withdrew 150 peacekeepers from Iraq Sunday, according to news reaching here from Baku.

    The peacekeepers, deployed in Iraq to protect a reservoir and a hydro power plant, were pulled out under a decision made by the Azerbaijani parliament on Nov. 11, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted a statement of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry as saying.

    Azerbaijan called back all its soldiers from Kosovo in March. It now still has 90 peacekeepers in Afghanistan.