US to withdraw all remaining combat troops in Iraq

The United States on Wednesday agreed with Iraq to withdraw all combat troops that remain deployed in the country to fight terrorist organizations., although a small contingent will remain there to carry out training tasks.

“The parties have confirmed that the US mission and coalition forces have now made a transition focused on training and counseling.”the countries said in a joint statement after a virtual meeting.

This, they said, “allows for the redeployment of all remaining combat troops in Iraq, the timetable for which will be established in a future technical dialogue.”

This announcement comes at a time when American forces receive almost daily rocket attacks attributed to Shiite paramilitary militias linked to the Iranian regime. President Joe Biden ordered retaliatory or air strikes against the camps of these forces located in Syria.

But the US head of state, in an unusual coincidence with his predecessor, Donald Trump, is looking for a way to end this a policy known as “endless wars”.

Trump had ordered contingent cuts in Iraq and Afghanistan during his last months in office and on Jan.15 – five days before his term expired. US troops in each country had been reduced to 2,500.

Former Democratic President Barack Obama ordered the withdrawal of all troops from Iraq, but sent troops again after the brutal offensive of the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).

According to the joint statement, “The transition of US forces and other international combat contingents to training, equipping and assisting Iraqi security forces is a testament to the success of this strategic partnership.”

Iraq has pledged to protect the bases that will continue to house American personnel who, according to Washington, are only present “in support of Iraq’s efforts in the fight against ISIS.”

This agreement between the two countries comes after the fall of two rockets last Sunday near the Balad air base, which shelters American soldiers north of Baghdad. These latest attacks caused no damage or casualties and have not been claimed by any organization, but the United States regularly accuses pro-Iranian Iraqi groups of attacking their troops and diplomats.

This was the fourteenth attack, six of which with rockets, directed against American troops, the American embassy or Iraqi convoys providing logistical support to foreign troops since Biden took office in January.

Two Americans and an Iraqi civilian died as a result of these attacks.

An Iraqi civilian working for an American fighter jet maintenance company for the Iraqi Air Force was also injured in one of the attacks.

Sometimes these operations are claimed by unknown groups who, According to experts, this is a smokescreen of long-standing Iranian-backed organizations in Iraq.

Qais al Khazali, a senior pro-Iranian official in the state-sponsored Hashed al Shaabi paramilitary force, recently said the “resistance” was carrying out attacks and would escalate them “unless the United States withdrew all its resources. Iraqi fighting forces “.

Earlier this month, after another attack on one of the US bases, the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd AustinHe warned that his country “will attack if necessary” in retaliation for these attacks.

With information from AFP

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