US General Sees Number of Troops in Iraq Reducing

By Staff, Agencies

A feared resurgence of Daesh [the Arabic acronym for terrorist ‘ISIS/ISIL’ group] has not so far materialized in Iraq, paving the way for a further coalition troop drawdown, according to a US commander.

Though Daesh may never be completely eradicated, the group has been significantly diminished from when it controlled swathes of Iraq and Syria just a few years ago, Major General Kenneth Ekman, deputy commander of coalition forces, told reporters.

"What that has allowed us to do is to reduce our footprint here in Iraq," Ekman said, speaking from Baghdad.

"I think over time, what you will see is a slow reduction of US forces," he added.

The presence of US occupation troops in Iraq has been a flashpoint issue, with Iraqi lawmakers voting to formally demand the withdrawal of American forces in recent months.

There are currently about 5,200 US occupation troops in Iraq.