U.S. to announce plan to withdraw troops from Iraq
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The U.S. plans to announce a long-anticipated agreement with Iraq next week regarding a reduction of American troops in the country, two senior officials said on Friday.
The two U.S. officials, who were granted anonymity to talk about upcoming plans that have not been made public yet, said that this plan is nearing completion.
Iraqi officials have indicated that this agreement could result in the withdrawal of the 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq by the end of 2026.
The U.S. officials, however, also noted that the fight against the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria is still ongoing.
“ISIS has definitely been severely defeated, certainly territorially defeated, and we want to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, but the threat does remain,” a senior Defense Department official told reporters Friday.
This comes as conflicts in the region, with both Israel and Hezbollah intensifying their attacks, raise concerns about a potential broader conflict
Additionally, since the start of Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in October 2023, the U.S. military forces stationed in Syria and Iraq have faced attacks from Iranian-backed militias.