The spokesman for the Iraqi army announced today, Sunday, that Iraq and the United States have held discussions to formulate a timetable for a "measured and gradual reduction leading to the conclusion of the mission of international coalition forces" in Iraq. The High Military Committee of Iraq has resumed its meetings with international coalition forces in Baghdad to assess the military situation, the level of threat, and the operational environment.
Lieutenant General Yahya Rasul, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, stated in a press release received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "the High Military Committee of Iraq has resumed its meetings with international coalition forces in Baghdad today to assess the military situation, the level of threat, and the operational environment as well as the capabilities of the Iraqi armed forces."
He added that "based on these meetings, a timetable for a measured and gradual reduction will be formulated leading to the conclusion of the international coalition's mission to combat ISIS and transition to a bilateral relationship. As long as there are no disruptions to the discussions, meetings will be held regularly to expedite the committee's work as much as possible."
Talks began in January; however, less than 24 hours later, three American soldiers were killed in an attack in Jordan, which the United States attributed to militant groups allied with Iran in Syria and Iraq.
