The US formed the coalition in 2014 under the pretext of fighting Daesh, which at the time swept through parts of Iraqi and Syrian territory. Washington has approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria as part of the coalition, according to Reuters.
The statement did not mention how many US troops would leave Iraq or from which bases. However, Reuters cited a senior US official who said on Friday that the move was “a transition from a coalition military mission to an expanded US-Iraqi bilateral security relationship.”
The US mission in Syria would continue, said the news agency citing officials.
The presence of US forces in Syria and Iraq has been a source of public discontent in both countries, especially in Iraq where anti-American sentiments have been growing since January 2020 when the US assassinated top Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and senior Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhanddis, two anti-terror icons who played a key role in defeating Daesh.
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