U.S. to Withdraw Over 2,000 Troops from Iraq, Reducing Presence to 3,000

The United States will withdraw over 2,000 troops from Iraq this month, roughly half of its troop presence, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East said Wednesday.

In a long awaited move that works toward President Trump’s goal of getting America out of “endless wars,” forces will be cut from 5,200 to 3,000, Marine General Frank McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, announced during a visit to Iraq.

U.S. forces invaded Iraq in 2003 and withdrew in 2011 only to return in 2014 after the Islamic State group invaded large parts of the country. The reduction is a testament to the Trump administration’s confidence in U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces to handle the Islamic State group, McKenzie said.

“The U.S. decision is a clear demonstration of our continued commitment to the ultimate goal, which is an Iraqi security force that is capable of preventing an ISIS resurgence and of securing Iraq’s sovereignty without external assistance,” McKenzie said, according to excerpts released by Centcom. “The journey has been difficult, the sacrifice has been great, but the progress has been significant.”

The remaining troops will continue advising and assisting Iraqi security forces in rooting out remaining Islamic State group forces, he said.

A senior administration official has also reportedly said that an announcement on the withdrawal of additional troops from Afghanistan, where U.S. forces have been since 2001, will be made in the coming days.