U.S. ends combat mission in Iraq, but troops will remain

BAGHDAD — The U.S. military on Thursday said it had completed its transition from a combat mission in Iraq to one meant to “advise, assist and enable” Iraqi forces that are battling the remnants of the Islamic State group.

While the announcement signaled the latest shift in the mission in Iraq since the United States invaded 18 years ago, the move does not reduce the number of U.S. forces in the country; rather, it will keep the same number of soldiers — roughly 2,500 — on the ground in support roles.

“We have come a long way since the coalition answered the call for help,” Maj. Gen. John Brennan, commander of the antiislamic State group task force in Iraq, said in a statement. “In this new phase, our transformative partnership with Iraq symbolizes the need for constant vigilance.”

For the Iraqi government, the stated removal of combat troops was a political victory aimed at fending off pressure from Iranianbacked political parties and militias opposed to any presence of U.S. forces. It follows talks between President Joe Biden and Mustafa al-kadhimi, Iraq’s prime minister, in July, after which the president committed to removing all combat forces by the end of the year.

The move was seen by U.S. officials at the time as an effort to relieve pressure on al-kadhimi, a U.S. ally who has had to balance ties with Iran to keep his position.

U.S. and Iraqi forces held a lowkey ceremony in Baghdad on Thursday afternoon marking the transition to an “advise and assist” mission, an acknowledgment that U.S. troops will largely continue to fulfill the same roles they have been since the territorial defeat of the Islamic State group three years ago.

The U.S. military withdrew from Iraq in 2011 after failing to negotiate a status-of-forces agreement with the Iraqi government.

Three years later, the Iraqi government asked it to return to help drive out the Islamic State group, which conquered one-third of Iraq and large parts of Syria.

Whether Thursday’s announcement would be enough to appease Iranian-backed militia groups that have been calling for the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces is still unclear.

One militia group now part of Iraqi government security forces said it had “no trust in any promise” made by the United States.