McKenzie: Washington will keep 2,500 US troops in Iraq
McKenzie: Washington will keep 2,500 US troops in Iraq
10-12-2021 08:41 AM
The commander of the US Central Command, General Frank McKenzie, confirmed that Washington will keep the current 2,500 troops in Iraq, warning of an increase in terrorist attacks.
McKenzie said in an interview with the Associated Press that “despite the shift in the role of US forces in Iraq to a non-combat role, they will continue to provide air support and other military assistance in Iraq’s fight against ISIS,” considering that “the escalation of violence by militias Iran-backed attacks on US and Iraqi forces may continue this month.”
And he considered that “these militias want all American forces to leave Iraq… but we would not leave, which may provoke a response as we approach the end of the month,” noting that “we withdrew from the bases that we did not need, and made access to us difficult. But the Iraqis are still They want us to be there and participate.
McKenzie believed that “ISIS fighters will continue to pose a threat in Iraq and that the organization will continue to reconfigure itself, perhaps under a different name,” noting that “the key to the solution will be to ensure that the organization is unable to integrate with other elements around the world and becomes more powerful and dangerous.” “.
In total, McKenzie declared that “the presence of US forces throughout the Middle East has decreased significantly since last year,” explaining that “this presence has peaked amid tensions with Iran at 80,000 personnel.”
He stressed that “it is important to work with our partners in the region,” expressing concern over “Iran’s development of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as armed drones.”
dijlah.tv
