US, Iraq to begin talks that could lead to withdrawal of all remaining American troops

Some 2,500 U.S. troops remain inside Iraq to counter ISIS, Iran-backed militias.

The U.S. and Iraq will begin formal talks in coming days that officials say could lead to the eventual withdrawal of American troops in the country, a major milestone in the years-long effort by the two countries to fight the Islamic State.

The decision to move forward with the discussions, known as the Higher Military Commission, comes just days after Iranian-backed forces in Iraq launched a barrage of missiles on a U.S. base, injuring at least four service members and one Iraqi.

Several defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive details, said the latest attack on U.S. forces in Iraq didn't factor into the decision and that negotiations probably would have started sooner had the Israeli-Hamas war not begun.

Since last fall, some 60 attacks have been launched on U.S. forces in Iraq and more than 90 in Syria, as Iranian-backed militants blame the U.S. for its support of Israel.