By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US-led coalition's military mission in Iraq against the terrorist group Daesh/ISIS will end next year, a senior US administration official said on Friday.
The US and Iraq have decided on "a two phase transition plan" for the operations in Iraq, the official said.
"The first phase, we’ll be concluding the global coalition’s military mission in Iraq, the Combined Joint Task Force Inherent Resolve, and ending the presence of coalition forces in certain locations in Iraq as mutually determined," said the official.
"The transition period in Iraq will begin in September and end one year, concluding at the end of September 2025".
Stressing that the US and Iraq recognize that Daesh/ISIS is in Syria and remains a "significant threat" to the region, the official said that the countries are committed to continue working to ensure the enduring defeat of the terror group.
Therefore, the official said the second phase involves an "understanding to allow the coalition to continue to support counter ISIS operations in Syria from Iraq ... until at least September 2026."
"To be clear, while Combined Joint Task Force military mission in Iraq will end by September 2025, the coalition's military mission operating in Syria will continue," the official stressed.
The official also made it clear that the US is "not withdrawing from Iraq."
Roughly 2,500 American troops remain in Iraq on a train and assist mission for Iraqi forces following the December 2021 announcement of the end of major combat operations in the effort to defeat the Daesh/ISIS terror group.