U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazimi will announce an agreement Monday that will end the U.S. combat mission in the republic by the end of 2021
The Associated Press (AP) reported this, citing a source in Biden’s administration.
According to him, subsequently, the American servicemen in Iraq will only train and advise their Iraqi colleagues, without taking part in combat operations. The agency’s interlocutor explained that the Iraqi military is “battle-tested” and “capable” of independently ensuring the country’s security.
On 26 July, the US leader will meet the head of the Iraqi cabinet at the White House.
On 5 January 2020, Iraq’s parliament passed a resolution demanding the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from the country. In the middle of March this year, Iraqi President Barham Saleh specified that the number of American troops in the Arab Republic did not exceed 2.5 thousand people. In April, al-Qazimi said that the increased combat readiness of the national army and security forces, as well as successes in fighting terrorists, allowed for the withdrawal of up to 60% of foreign troops.