Iraq Expects Announcement to End US Combat Mission

WHITE HOUSE - Members of a top Iraqi delegation expect to reach an agreement Friday with the Biden administration to end the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, the country’s foreign minister told VOA on Thursday.

In an exclusive interview with VOA’s Kurdish Service, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed the proposed nature of cooperation between his country and U.S. forces once an agreement is reached, particularly in the fight against the Islamic State group. “In my opinion, we will reach the agreement on Friday and then it will be announced that [American] fighting forces — I am talking about the fighting forces — will not remain in Iraq. But how they will not remain and when they exit is related to a timeline agreed on by both sides as well as technical matters and other issues related to the security of the forces,” Hussein told VOA. The discussions in Washington are happening just days before a Monday meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House. The two plan to discuss a wide array of topics, including cooperation on political, economic, security and cultural issues.