The U.S. military has begun reducing its mission in Iraq under an agreement made with Iraqi officials last year. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that the U.S. will scale back its military presence, reflecting “our combined success in fighting ISIS.” The move aims to transition to a lasting U.S.-Iraq security partnership. A senior Iraqi security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the withdrawal began weeks ago from Baghdad and Ain al-Asad base in western Iraq, while some forces have redeployed to Irbil in northern Iraq and others have left the country.
