The United States and Iraq have agreed to withdraw American troops from Iraq, leading a coalition. The plan calls for a phased withdrawal in the first year, starting with hundreds of troops, with all forces to be withdrawn by the end of 2026. A final agreement requires approval from both capitals, and there is uncertainty over when the announcement will be made, Reuters reported.
A senior US official is quoted as saying that “there is an agreement, now it's just a question of when to announce it.” The agreement was expected to be announced this month, but regional tensions over Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip have delayed the announcement.
According to the publication, the US and Iraq are also seeking to establish a new consultative relationship so that some US troops can remain in Iraq after the main forces are withdrawn. Technical talks on reducing the coalition with Washington have been completed, but details of the plan have not yet been disclosed.
The US has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighbouring Syria, according to the data, as part of a coalition formed in 2014 to fight the Islamic State. The US invaded Iraq in 2003 and then withdrew in 2011, but the ISIS threat forced coalition forces to return to Iraq three years later.
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