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US to remain in Iraq ‘as long as needed,' command says

August 20, 2018
A Marine attached to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force, Crisis Response-Central Command prepares to board an MV-22 Osprey at Fire Base Um Jorais (FB UJ) July 6, 2018. (Cpl. Carlos Lopez/Marine Corps)

The U.S. advisers now in Iraq will stay “as long as needed” to ensure the Islamic State does not regain strength and to assist in Iraq stabilization efforts, a top spokesman for the U.S. and coalition effort said Sunday.

U.S. advisers now assist Iraqi security forces in cleaning up the remaining remnants of ISIS in Iraq, particularly in Anbar province were small pockets of the organization are still targeting local infrastructure.

The U.S. and coalition forces are also involved in stabilization efforts, including assisting in the resettlement of formerly displaced Iraqi civilians and in using the military’s vast logistics and planning resources to help get civil infrastructure up and running again in cities devastated by their former ISIS occupants.

Army Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, said during a news conference in Abu Dhabi that those efforts would continue and the stabilization was “one of the reasons we’ll maintain a presence,” Reuters reported.

U.S. soldiers fire artillery alongside Iraqi Security Forces artillery at known ISIS locations near the Iraqi-Syrian border, June 7, 2018. Iraqi Security Forces and coalition partners provided fire support to assist the Syrian Democratic Forces as they continued Operation Roundup, the military offensive to rid the final pockets of the terrorist organization from the Middle Euphrates River Valley in Syria. (Spc. Anthony Zendejas IV/Army)
U.S. soldiers fire artillery alongside Iraqi Security Forces artillery at known ISIS locations near the Iraqi-Syrian border, June 7, 2018. Iraqi Security Forces and coalition partners provided fire support to assist the Syrian Democratic Forces as they continued Operation Roundup, the military offensive to rid the final pockets of the terrorist organization from the Middle Euphrates River Valley in Syria. (Spc. Anthony Zendejas IV/Army)

On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Rob Manning reiterated those comments, saying the 5,200 service members the U.S. reports it has in Iraq, and the 2,000 in Syria will remain unchanged. The Pentagon does not report publicly how many troops it actually accounts for in either country, saying that to do so would put troops at risk.

“The coalitions presence is designed to meet our partner’s support requirement. We have what we need and we’ll take forces out of theater when the job is done,” Manning told reporters at the Pentagon Monday.

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An aircraft under the command of the Operation Inherent Resolve coalition crashed Sunday night in Iraq, killing one service member. (Airman 1st Class Trevor McBride/ Air Force)
One US service member killed in aircraft crash in Iraq

One service member within the Operation Inherent Resolve coalition to defeat the Islamic State was killed and several more were injured when their aircraft crashed Sunday night in Iraq.

The military’s mission in Iraq is now directed by the Iraqi government, which requested additional NATO forces to assist in training earlier this year. NATO approved the request in July and is sending 500 troops who will be led by a Canadian general.

About

Tara Copp is the Pentagon Bureau Chief for Military Times and author of the award-winning military nonfiction "The Warbird: Three Heroes. Two Wars. One Story."

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