US troops pull out of major Iraq airbase amid ongoing regional consolidation effort, progress against ISIS
Fox News
U.S. troops completeed its withdrawal from Al Asad Airbase in Iraq as military officials cited success against ISIS' threat and Iraqi forces' growing capability.
"We're able to consolidate because of the significant progress made there — ISIS in Iraq doesn't pose a threat beyond Iraq's capacity to handle on their own," a U.S. official told Fox News. The officials added that it speaks to "our success in rooting out the ISIS threat in Iraq and Iraqi forces' willingness and progress in standing on their own."
The official added that U.S. forces are consolidating outside of federal Iraqi territory, meaning they’re concentrating forces elsewhere to focus on engaging remnants of ISIS in Syria.
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