Prime Minister: The US-led coalition will leave Iraq after 10 years world

The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani said on Friday (5) that the Iraqi government has begun the process of withdrawing the international military coalition led by the United States from the country.

The Iraqi Prime Minister said, in a statement, that a final date has not yet been set: “The government sets the date for the start of the work of the bilateral committee to take steps to permanently end the presence of international coalition forces in Iraq.” office. Minister.

The United States has 900 soldiers in Syria and 2,500 soldiers in Iraq on a mission that it says provides advice and assistance to local forces trying to prevent the return of ISIS, which in 2014 took control of much of both countries before being defeated.

Al-Sudani's statement came a day after a militia leader was killed in Baghdad in a US raid, sparking anger from groups allied with Iran who demanded the government end the coalition's presence in Iraq.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said, “The government sets the date for the start of the work of the bilateral committee to take the necessary steps to permanently end the presence of international coalition forces in Iraq.”

A government official said that the committee will include representatives of the military coalition.

The Pentagon said the US military launched the attack on Thursday in response to recent attacks on US personnel.

Iran-allied militias in Iraq and Syria oppose the Israeli campaign in the Gaza Strip and hold the United States partly responsible.

The Iraqi-Sudanese prime minister has limited control over some Iranian-backed factions whose support he needed to win power a year ago and which now form a strong bloc in his ruling coalition.

Al-Sudani said in the statement, “We affirm our firm position to end the presence of the international coalition after the justifications for its existence have ended.”

The Islamic State claimed responsibility on Thursday for two explosions in Iran that killed about 100 people and injured many others at a memorial to Commander Qassem Soleimani.

A political advisor close to the Iraqi Prime Minister said that Al-Sudani is under tremendous pressure from powerful Shiite parties close to Iran that seek to end the American presence in Iraq, and that his latest statement was aimed at “appeasing angry parties within the government's Shiite coalition.” against the United States.”

However, it was not clear whether Friday's Baghdad announcement was primarily a posturing for domestic political purposes or whether the newly announced committee would actually begin a relentless process to end the US military presence in Iraq, a long-standing goal of Iran and the groups it supports. . Iran supports.

See below a 2018 video about Iraq's first post-ISIS elections.