Friday December 31, 2021
Anti-IS mission ended
Foreign combat troops have left Iraq
Four years ago, the then Iraqi head of government declared victory over the terrorist militia IS. But the struggle continues – now without the direct involvement of the US and its allies. North American soldiers are still stationed in Iraq.
As announced, the combat mission of the US-led coalition against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) in Iraq will end at the end of 2021. “There are no other foreign combat troops on Iraqi soil,” said the government in Baghdad. These would have withdrawn all their forces and brought their equipment out of the country. The task of the international anti-IS coalition is now as agreed to advise and support Iraqi security forces.
The combat mission was over, the coalition confirmed on Twitter. The soldiers are now only in an advisory capacity “as invited guests of the Republic of Iraq” in the country. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kasimi thanked the leaders of the coalition and the partners involved for the fight against IS a few days ago. “Our security forces are ready to defend our people.”
The alliance’s mission began after ISIS overran large areas in northern and western Iraq in 2014. With international support – including the Bundeswehr – the Iraqi security forces were gradually able to push back the extremists. In December 2017, the then Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi declared victory over IS.
New attacks on US military facilities
In July, the USA announced the withdrawal of combat troops by the end of the year. According to the White House, around 2,500 US forces have been deployed in Iraq so far. Observers assume that the number will hardly change, but that the soldiers will officially be deployed as trainers and advisers in the future. In particular, the influential pro-Iranian Shiite militias and parties in Iraq are demanding a US withdrawal. In the past few months, facilities used by the United States had been attacked several times.
ISIS has officially been defeated militarily, but extremist cells continue to carry out attacks, especially on security forces. The last concern arose that the terrorist militia could use the end of the US combat mission as an opportunity for further attacks.