Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said that US-led intervention to Iraq in 2003 contributed to the rise of ISIL.


MOSCOW (Sputnik)�� US-led intervention to�Iraq in�2003 contributed to�the rise of�the Islamic State (ISIL) militant group, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair told CNN in�the interview that is expected to�be revealed on�Sunday.

�I think there are elements of�truth in�that. Of course you can�t say those of�us who removed [former Iraqi leader] Saddam [Hussein] in�2003 bear no responsibility for�the situation in�2015,� Blair said in�the interview, answering the question on�whether he thought invasion of�Iraq led to�the rise of�the ISIL, as�quoted by�The Telegraph newspaper.

Blair added that he apologized for �wrong� intelligence and poor planning of�the conflict details. However he refused to�apologize for�ousting Hussein from�power.

The United Kingdom was part of�a US-led coalition that invaded Iraq in�2003, without�a UN mandate, after�falsely accusing Hussein of�possessing weapons of�mass destruction

ISIL is an extremist group that occupies large areas of�Iraq and Syria and seeks to�establish a caliphate ruled by�strict Sharia law on�the territory under�its control. The group has affiliates operating in�other countries, including Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

By Sputnik News