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US Announces More Troop Withdrawals from Iraq

VOA News

   The U.S. military has announced the withdrawal of more of its service
   members from Iraq this month.

   The head of the U.S. Central Command, General Frank McKenzie, said
   during visit to Iraq Wednesday that the U.S. troop presence in the
   country would be cut from 5,200 to 3,000.

   "This reduced footprint allows us to continue advising and assisting
   our Iraqi partners in rooting out the final remnants of ISIS [Islamic
   State] in Iraq and ensuring its enduring defeat," McKenzie said. "This
   decision is due to our confidence in the Iraqi security forces'
   increased ability to operate independently."

   The U.S. troops in Iraq are performing counterterrorism operations and
   training Iraqi forces. There are another 8,600 U.S. military service
   members in Afghanistan.

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