News / Iraq

US forces preparing to withdraw from base west of Baghdad

Tuesday, 07 April 2020 10:34 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 07 April 2020 10:35 AM ]

US soldiers stand at the Qayyarah air base in northern Iraq before a planned pullout on March 26, 2020. (Photo by AFP)

The US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh terror group in Iraq is reportedly preparing to evacuate troops from a military base in the city of Abu Gharib, west of the capital Baghdad.

Iraqi media outlets reported on Tuesday that the US-led coalition had decided to hand over the base in Abu Gharib to the Iraqi forces in the coming hours.

According to the reports, Abu Gharib base would be the sixth base to have returned to the Iraqi army in the recent weeks.

US-led coalition officially hands over strategic air base in Iraq’s Anbar to army forces

The US-led coalition officially hands over al-Taqaddum Air base in Iraq’s western province of Anbar to Iraqi government forces.

The Iraqis believe the recent withdrawal of US forces from a number of military bases is “a military tactic,” amid reports that Washington is drawing up plans to target commanders of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha’abi.

In late March, the PMU blew the lid off a plot by the US military to carry out massive aerial operations — backed by ground troops – against bases of the elite anti-terror force, which is currently busy helping the government in the fight against a new coronavirus pandemic.

Days later, US media also reported that the Pentagon has ordered military commanders to plan for an escalation of American operations in Iraq.

Iraq’s anti-terror resistance groups say they stand fully ready to counter any possible attack by US occupation forces, saying that they are also on high alert for any false-flag US operation.

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