US Military Withdrawing 3,500 Troops from Iraq
The US Military has issued a statement confirming that 3,500 troops are set to be withdrawn from Iraq.
These soldiers – members of the Fort Benning, Georgia-based 3rd Infantry Division - formed part of the 30,000-strong US troop 'surge' that entered the country in 2007.
The withdrawal, according to to the statement, is set to occur in coming weeks.
US Troop Withdrawals Pause
General Patraeus, head of US forces in Iraq, has recommended that the US cease withdrawing troops from Iraq after July and pause to re-evaluate the issue of troop numbers in the country.
"The continued draw down of surge brigades demonstrates continued progress in Iraq”, Brigadier General Dan Allyn said in yesterday’s statement.
"After July, commanders will assess our security posture for about 45 days and determine future force requirements."
Violence in Iraq
The troop surge – combined with a greater number of Sunni fighters working alongside allied forces – has been viewed as a measure through which violence in Iraq has dropped substantially in recent months.
156,000 US Troops Deployed
According to the US military, 156,000 US troops remain deployed in Iraq at this moment in time.
10,000 other soldiers, meanwhile, are also stationed there – these provided by other nations within the allied coalition.
The number of US troops killed this year while serving in Iraq is understood to be at least 166 while, since US forces invaded the country over five years ago, 4,071 soldiers have lost their lives.
Source – Armed Forces International’s US Correspondent
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