2024-01-08T19:23:24+00:00
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/ The US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) said on Monday that it does not currently plan to withdraw its forces, numbering about 2,500 soldiers, from Iraq.
This comes despite Baghdad announcing last week that it had begun a process aimed at ending the mission of the US-led international military coalition in the country.
“At this time, I am not aware of any plans (to plan a withdrawal). We remain very focused on the mission of defeating ISIS,” Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said in a press briefing.
He added that American forces are in Iraq at the invitation of the government there.
Ryder said that he was also not aware of any notification from Baghdad to the Ministry of Defense about a decision to withdraw American forces.