Official: All US Combat Forces to Withdraw from Iraq within Days

A spokesman for the Iraqi joint operations, Tahsin Al-Khafaji, confirmed that the US combat forces have completed their withdrawal from the "Ain Al-Assad" base in Anbar Governorate, western Iraq.

In exclusive statements to the Russian news agency "Sputnik," Al-Khafaji said, "There is nothing left in the base except for advisers, and these are only advisors."

He added, "As for the Al-Harir base, a special security delegation will go to this base during the next few days to follow up on the process of withdrawing US combat forces from there."

Al-Khafaji indicated that the official announcement of the withdrawal of all US combat forces from Iraq will take place on December 31.

Maj. Gen. Yahiya Rasoul, the media spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, said last Saturday that many places inside the base have been completely evacuated from foreign combat forces.

Rasoul pointed out that some sites are considered to belong to the delivery of equipment and logistical support equipment to the Iraqi forces themselves, which includes weapons, machinery, and equipment that support the Iraqi forces in their mission of defending the country.

Rasoul stated that the base has become Iraqi, and the one responsible for it is an Iraqi commander; it is protected by Iraqi forces, stressing that even the advisers are under Iraqi protection.

An Iraqi security delegation arrived last Sunday at Ain Al-Assad base. The delegation included the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, Lieutenant-General Abdul Amir al-Shammari, National Security Adviser Qassem Al-Araji, and the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army for Operations, intending to observe the withdrawal of coalition forces and inspect logistical support points, according to the statement, a local source told "Alsumaria News".