{"id":34914,"date":"2020-11-18T21:30:11","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T21:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/11\/18\/iraqi-official-says-combat-operations-against-isis-by-us-led-coalition-ending-after-troop-drawdown\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:57:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:57:56","slug":"iraqi-official-says-combat-operations-against-isis-by-us-led-coalition-ending-after-troop-drawdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/11\/18\/iraqi-official-says-combat-operations-against-isis-by-us-led-coalition-ending-after-troop-drawdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Iraqi official says combat operations against ISIS by US-led coalition ending after troop drawdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BAGHDAD \u2014 Iraq\u2019s foreign minister Wednesday condemned a rocket attack in the capital <\/a>a day earlier, calling it a \u201cterrorist act,\u201d and said combat operations by the U.S.-led coalition will cease once troop withdrawals take place in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fuad Hussein\u2019s comments came hours after seven rockets struck Baghdad, four of them exploding inside the heavily fortified Green Zone, the seat of Iraq\u2019s government and home to the U.S. Embassy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rockets, which killed a child and wounded five other civilians, indicated an end to an informal truce announced by Iran-backed militias <\/a>in October to halt attacks targeting the U.S. presence in Iraq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One rocket landed just 600 meters (2,000 feet) from the U.S. Embassy compound, Iraqi security officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. troops invaded Iraq in 2003 and left in 2011 but returned in 2014 after the Islamic State group overran large parts of Iraq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequent attacks targeting the U.S. Embassy and vehicles transporting equipment for U.S. troops have led Washington to threaten to close its Baghdad diplomatic mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hussein called the attack against the Green Zone \u201cblatant, criminal and terrorist\u201d in comments to reporters following a meeting with the U.S. ambassador and U.S. military leaders. \u201cIt is an attack on the Iraqi government and Iraqi people and we condemn such operations,\u201d Hussein said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon this week announced a reduction of troops in Iraq from 3,000 to 2,500<\/a>. Hussein said that following the departure of the 500 personnel, coalition combat operations against the Islamic State group would officially end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of coalition troops had already been reduced from 5,200 to 3,000 in line with a planned drawdown from several Iraqi military bases<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one claimed responsibility for Tuesday\u2019s attack but the U.S. has directly accused Iran-backed Shiite militias for past attacks on its interests in Iraq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Security
Security forces inspect the scene of the rocket attack at the gate of al-Zawra public park in Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 18, 2020. (Khalid Mohammed\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Iraqi officials questioned the timing of Tuesday\u2019s attack. The militias had conditioned their truce on a scheduled withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition troops in line with a non-binding resolution in Parliament passed in January. That resolution was passed by predominantly Shiite lawmakers when Iraq-U.S. tensions soared following the Washington-directed strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani outside Baghdad airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\t