US Troop Withdrawal from Iraq Imminent... Bilateral Negotiations Begin

The United States and Iraq have begun negotiations to coordinate the withdrawal schedule of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq.

According to AFP and other foreign media on the 27th (local time), the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office stated in a press release that "Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani presided over the first negotiations between Iraq and the United States regarding the end of the international coalition forces' activities." The two countries had previously agreed last August to establish a High Military Committee to decide the schedule for the presence of the U.S.-led international coalition forces.

Earlier, the United States formed an international coalition of over 80 countries to defeat the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), which had occupied Iraq and Syria since 2014. With IS now weakened, only about 2,500 U.S. troops remain in Iraq and about 900 in Syria.

The U.S. completely withdrew from Iraq in 2011 after ending the war, but redeployed troops at Iraq's request when IS regained strength following the collapse of Iraqi military and police forces.

However, the atmosphere changed after the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas broke out last October. Pro-Iranian armed groups rallied, and as pro-Iranian militias expanded their influence in Iraq, affecting Iraqi politics, calls for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq grew louder.

Since the Gaza Strip war began, U.S. military bases have been attacked about 150 times by pro-Iranian armed groups in Iraq, such as Kata'ib Hezbollah. In response, the U.S. military carried out retaliatory airstrikes, raising concerns about escalation, and the Iraqi government has consistently protested U.S. military operations.

[Image source=Yonhap News]