In a letter sent to Iraq's Ministry of Defense, the commanding general of US and allied troops in Iraq stated the US would be 'repositioning forces' to move some troops out of Baghdad.
A U.S. official in Baghdad also says the unsigned letter was provided to the Iraqis as a notification of increased troop movements around Baghdad in the coming days, including some who are leaving Baghdad because their mission against the Islamic State militant group and their training mission have been suspended. They will move to Kuwait. The official said, however, that this movement is preparing for the possible order to draw down the troops.
A military official with the coalition told NBC News that the letter"is not a withdrawal" of all U.S. forces from Iraq. “It is a repositioning of a few hundred troops mainly from Baghdad to safer areas in the region, including other locations within Iraq. Many will be going to Kuwait,” the official said.
The request comes days after a U.S. airstrike killed Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, early Friday local time near Baghdad International Airport. Soleimani was the leader of the Quds Force, an eliteand intelligence unit, and one of the country's most powerful military and political figures. The troops being repositioned are involved in training and administrative duties that are currently paused because of the security situation, the coalition official said.Courtney Kube is a correspondent covering national security and the military for the NBC News Investigative Unit.
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