Reuters – United States-led international coalition troops withdrew from Iraq’s Taji military base on Sunday and handed it over to Iraqi security forces, Reuters witnesses and the coalition said.
The movement of coalition military personnel is part of a long-range plan coordinated with the government of Iraq,” the coalition said in a statement, adding that Camp Taji has historically held up to 2,000 coalition members, most of whom have departed this summer.
Camp Taji, also known as Camp Cooke, is a military installation used by coalition forces near Taji, Iraq. The camp is located in a rural region approximately 27 km (17 mi) north of the capital Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate.
Remaining coalition troops will depart in the coming days after finalising the handing over of equipment to Iraqi security forces, it added.
This was the eighth transfer of a coalition portion of an Iraqi base back to Iraqi forces, it said.
The withdrawal came days after US President Donald Trump redoubled his promise to withdraw the few US troops still in the country. The United States has had about 5,000 troops stationed in the country and coalition allies a further 2,500.
Iraq’s parliament had voted this year for the departure of foreign troops from Iraq and US and other coalition troops have been leaving as part of a drawdown.
Reporting by Maher Nazeh and Thaier al-Sudani Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and David Goodman
