City
Epaper

US to continue reducing military forces in Iraq

By IANS | Updated: June 12, 2020 13:24 IST

The US will continue reducing its military presence in Iraq over the coming months, according to a joint statement ...

Open in App

The US will continue reducing its military presence in Iraq over the coming months, according to a joint statement issued by the two countries.

The two countries will also discuss the status of remaining forces in the months ahead, said the statement issued following the US-Iraq strategic dialogue held virtually on Thursday.

US Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker, who participated in the dialogue, told reporters that Washington was considering a possible force reduction but emphasized that there was no discussion of the timeline for it, reports Xinhua news agency.

The statement reiterated that the US does not seek permanent bases and military presence in the country.

For its part, the Iraqi government is committed to protecting the military personnel of the international coalition and the Iraqi facilities hosting them.

US-Iraq relations have been under strain since January 3 when an American airstrike killed Qasem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, near the Baghdad airport.

Two days after the airstrike, the Iraqi Parliament passed a resolution requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq.

The military bases housing American troops across Iraq and other US facilities have been frequently targeted by mortar and rocket attacks.

More than 5,000 US troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against the Islamic State militants.

 

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: Quds ForceusXinhuaBaghdadQasem SoleimaniBagh
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalIndian-Origin Man Beheaded In US In Front Of Family After Violent Dispute

BusinessAnil Ambani’s Reliance Power and Reliance Infra Shares Zoom Even as Indian Markets Tumble Amid US Tariffs

InternationalMissouri House Blast: 5 Injured After Huge Explosion Damages 20 Homes in St Louis County

InternationalHurricane Erin Enters Into Category 2 Storm With Maximum Winds of 100 mph, Heavy Rainfall Over Caribbean Islands Likely

InternationalIowa Shooting: Two Killed, One Injured In Firing and Blast in Glenwood; Suspect Arrested

International Realted Stories

InternationalTrump signs executive order to accelerate pediatric cancer research

InternationalPakistan: Bike-borne robbers in Karachi shot dead youth

InternationalJiya Rai becomes first female with autism to swim across Catalina Channel in US

InternationalIsrael, Serbia discuss 'launch of strategic dialogue' during meeting in Belgrade

International"Other countries were taking advantage of us for years and years, now we are treating them fairly": Donald Trump on tariffs