Reports: US to reposition troops in Iraq
After two rocket attacks within a week on American troops in Iraq, the United States is preparing to reposition forces there.
On the heels of another rocket attack targeting a military base housing American forces in Iraq, the US-led coalition assembled to fight the Islamic State is withdrawing troops from some of its smaller bases in the country.
“As a result of the success of Iraqi Security Forces in their fight against ISIS, the Coalition is re-positioning troops from a few smaller bases,” said coalition spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III in a statement provided to Al-Monitor. “These bases remain under Iraqi control and we will continue our advising partnership for the permanent defeat of Daesh from other Iraqi military bases.”
For security purposes, the coalition is not releasing a timetable for troop movements, but has acknowledged that the repositioning is taking place in coordination with the Iraqi government.
According to NBC News, the first to report on the troop movements, the decision to reposition troops is not related to the recent rocket attacks. Citing three US defense officials, the news outlet said US troops will be moved from “joint bases at al-Qaim near the Syrian border, Qayyarah Airfield West near Mosul and possibly K-1 Air Base in Kirkuk.”
