America’s military strategy in Iraq has been thrown into disarray after the Pentagon admitted a top US general mistakenly informed the Iraqi government his troops were preparing to leave. Here is AFP’s look at what shape a withdrawal could take. How could troops withdraw? A senior US military official had told AFP that a hypothetical […]

Berlin: Germany will withdraw some of its troops deployed as part of the anti-IS coalition in Iraq, the ministry said Tuesday, in the latest fallout over the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general. About 30 soldiers stationed in Baghdad and Taji will be moved to Jordan and Kuwait, a defence ministry spokesman […]

The United States continues to deploy and reposition troops throughout the region of Iraq and Iran to bolster U.S. security and force protection and to be prepared for any contingency, Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper said. “Over the last several days, I’ve had many conversations with our partners and allies about the situation in […]

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper denied Monday that US forces would pull out of Iraq, after a US general’s letter told the Iraqi government that troops were preparing to depart “in due deference to the sovereignty” of the country. “There is no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq… There has been no decision made to leave […]

It is all too tempting to focus on the current crisis in Iraq: The Iranian-sponsored attacks by Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces on U.S. forces and facilities, the U.S. retaliatory attacks, and the well-organized demonstrations and attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. At the same time, focusing on the current crisis has led to consistent […]

Two mortar rounds hit the Iraqi capital’s Green Zone on Saturday and two rockets slammed into an airbase housing US troops, security sources said, a day after a deadly American strike. The precision drone strike outside the Baghdad airport on Friday killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, top Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and a […]

A fresh air strike hit pro-Iran fighters in Iraq early Saturday, as fears grew of a proxy war erupting between Washington and Tehran a day after an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general. It came hours ahead of a planned a mourning march for Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary […]

DefenceTalkIraq has promised to guarantee the safety of United States interests from Iran, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday as he paid a surprise trip to Baghdad where he accused Tehran of planning “imminent” attacks. The top US diplomat’s sudden, unannounced visit marked an effort to shore up Washington’s ties with Baghdad as […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-seeks-assurance-of-security-for-interests-in-iraq-amid-wrangle-with-iran-72303/

DefenceTalkAir strikes by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State militant group in eastern Syria have killed at least 32 civilians in less than 24 hours, a monitor said Friday. Strikes on the village of Sousa killed 18 civilians including seven children late Thursday and 14 more civilians on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for […]https://www.defencetalk.com/32-civilians-killed-in-coalition-strikes-in-east-syria-monitor-71910/

DefenceTalkDutch F-16 fighter jets will end bombing missions against Daesh (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria at the end of the year, the Netherlands government said Friday. “Cabinet has decided not to prolong the use of F-16’s in the fight against Islamic State past Dec. 31,” the Dutch cabinet said in a statement. Four Dutch F-16s […]https://www.defencetalk.com/dutch-soon-to-pull-fighter-jets-striking-is-targets-71854/