US combat troops will not stay on in Iraq after the fight against the Islamic State group is over, Iraq’s Prime Minister said on Friday a statement that followed a report on talks between Iraq and the United States on maintaining American forces in the country.
A US official and an official from the Iraqi government told the AP this week that talks about keeping US troops in Iraq were ongoing.
The US official emphasised that discussions were in early stages and that “nothing has been finalised.” Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
In his statement, Haider al-Abadi emphasised that there are no foreign combat troops on Iraqi soil and that any American troops who stay on once IS militants are defeated will be advisers working to train Iraq’s security forces to maintain “full readiness” for any “future security challenges.”