The head of the US Central command (CENTCOM), General Frank McKenzie, on Wednesday announced a reduction in the military presence in Iraq by 2,200 troops, according to FoxNews.
"This reduced presence allows us to continue to advise our Iraqi partners and help them root out the last remnants of ISIS* in Iraq and ensure its lasting defeat," McKenzie said.
He added that the reduction from 5,2 thousand troops to 3 thousand will be implemented in September.
Earlier, a senior US administration official said that President Donald Trump would announce a reduction in the military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to him, first it should be expected Trump to announce the further withdrawal of troops from Iraq, and in the coming days - the reduction of troops in Afghanistan.
Promises to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan launched by his predecessors were key to Trump's campaign agenda.
On January 5, the Iraqi Parliament voted by a majority in favor of the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country, and also called for a review of the format of cooperation with the US-led international anti-terrorist coalition. These measures were a response to US operation in the area of Baghdad international airport, during which, on the night of January 3, Iranian General, commander of the special unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qasem Soleimani and Deputy head of the Iraqi Shiite militia, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, were killed. In Washington, they are considered involved in the organization of the attack on the American Embassy in Baghdad on December 31, 2019.
In response, Iran attacked American bases in Iraq, including Ayn al Asad. After these events, the US-led international coalition handed over to the Iraqi military a number of sites where the US military had previously been stationed, including a number of air bases and the headquarters of the coalition's military advisers. Us President Donald Trump has previously said that the international coalition forces will be completely withdrawn from Iraq within three years.
*Terrorist organization banned in Russia.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Marko Drobnjakovic / AP / TASS
Based on materials from RIA Novosti