About 2,200 American soldiers will leave American bases in Iraq during the month of September.
This decision is taken because of the "great progress made by the Iraqi forces" in the defense of the country, greeted General Kenneth McKenzie.
The United States has decided to reduce its military personnel in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000, General Kenneth McKenzie, head of the US military command in the Middle East, announced on Wednesday.
"Recognizing the great strides made by Iraqi forces and in consultation and coordination with the Iraqi government and our coalition partners, the United States has decided to reduce its military presence in Iraq from about 5,200 to 3,000 personnel during the month September, ”General McKenzie said in Baghdad.
The White House said on Tuesday that an announcement was near on a further reduction in US troops in Iraq, where US soldiers chasing jihadist sleeper cells face growing attacks from pro-Iranian factions.
Limited presence in Syria
The United States will continue to support the Iraqi army in its fight against the last elements of the Islamic State (IS) group still active in the country, and will maintain a limited presence in Syria, the American general said in a speech to the United States. opportunity for the new commander of the anti-IS coalition, General Paul Calvert, to take office.
"We must continue our cooperation against ISIS with our partners in Iraq and Syria," he said.
"This reduced presence allows us to continue to advise and assist our Iraqi partners in extracting the last remnants of ISIS in Iraq," he added, stressing Washington's confidence in the "ability of Iraqi forces to operate independently ".
"The journey has been difficult, the sacrifice has been immense, but the progress has been significant," he concluded.
"There is still a lot of work to be done."