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The transition plan will be divided into two phases: the first phase should end the mission against IS in Iraq in September 2025.
The United States announced on Friday that it had reached an agreement with the Government of Iraq to end the mission against the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) in September 2025 in the Arab country and that it will take on an advisory and support role within a normalized “bilateral security relationship.”
However, senior US officials said in a call with reporters that there has not yet been an agreement on reducing US troops in the country, something Baghdad has long demanded.
Transition plan
U.S. officials announced a “transition” plan that will end the “Inherent Resolve” mission that began in 2014 with a coalition of countries led by the United States to confront the rapid expansion of IS in the country and in Syria, which caused a humanitarian crisis and put the stability of the region at risk.
“We are still talking about what the troop numbers will be. This is not a withdrawal from Iraq, it is a transition to a bilateral security relationship,” said a US government official.
Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh stressed at a press conference that the US is not withdrawing from Iraq.
“Our relationship with the Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi government is crucial. We are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government and our partnership has succeeded in reducing ISIS from what it was 10 years ago. This is a step in our relationship,” he said.
The United States currently has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and Syria , but the same sources did not specify the planned troop reduction, as “it is a review process that is still underway.”
U.S. officials said the United States would continue to “assist and advise” Iraqi security forces and Kurdish forces in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
According to officials, this transition plan to end the mission against IS was agreed in April with US President Joe Biden during Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani ‘s visit to Washington .
The US has reminded that the fight against IS is not over
The United States recalled that the fight against IS is not over and that the terrorist group continues to operate in some areas of western Iraq and northeastern Syria, but its power is greatly diminished, it does not control territory and the Iraqi Security Forces have demonstrated improvements in their capabilities with successful operations against the group.
IS has claimed more than 150 attacks in Iraq and Syria this year , more than last year, while US special forces have continued to carry out joint operations with Iraqi forces against commandos of the Sunni armed group .
In addition, US troops in Iraq have suffered attacks by Shiite militias linked to Iraq (whose government is dominated by Shiite political factions) in the last year, since regional tension increased with Israel ‘s invasion of Gaza and the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. EFE
