After a two-week hiatus, Iraq has resumed negotiations with the United States regarding the future of the International Coalition against the Islamic State group.
Baghdad has assured that discussions will occur “periodically” to expedite their completion “as soon as possible,” provided no obstacles emerge.
Initiated in late January through a “high-level military committee,” these talks between Baghdad and Washington were suspended on January 28 due to a drone attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan near the Syrian border.
Since mid-October, Iran-backed militias have launched numerous attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria using rockets and drones. The U.S. has responded with several strikes against these groups.
According to Yahya Rasool, spokesperson for the Iraqi armed forces’ commander-in-chief, the “Iraqi High Military Committee” reconvened with the International Coalition forces in Baghdad on Sunday.
The meeting aimed to assess military threats, operational environments, and the capabilities of the Iraqi armed forces.
Based on these meetings, a timeline will be developed for a calculated and gradual reduction, ultimately concluding the International Coalition’s mission against ISIS and transitioning to a bilateral relationship.
As long as the discussions remain uninterrupted, meetings will be held periodically to finalize the committee’s work promptly.
The Iraqi authorities are keen on shifting to a bilateral military collaboration with each Coalition country as an alternative.
While the Coalition and the U.S. seem more cautious, indirectly suggesting that the talks may take time, the Coalition, in its announcement of the negotiations’ resumption, stated the aim is to “evaluate our joint mission’s progress in defeating ISIS and discuss the future transition of our mission.”
The US has nearly 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the International Coalition, established in 2014 to combat ISIS.
The Coalition’s current role involves advising and supporting Iraqi forces to prevent the resurgence of the terror group.
Since mid-October, US and Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria have faced over 165 attacks, reflecting the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas.
Most of these attacks were claimed by the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq,” comprising fighters from Iran-aligned factions, asserting their actions as solidarity with Gaza and opposition to US support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas.
