US will end combat mission in Iraq by end of this year
July 27, 2021, 3:51 am

US will end combat mission in Iraq by end of this year

Biden and Mustafa al-Kadhimi

The CCTV reported, citing the Xinhua that President Joe Biden said on Monday that U.S. forces in Iraq will end the combat mission by the end of the year while continuing to train and assist Iraqi forces.

Biden said at the beginning of a meeting in the Oval Office with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi: "Our role in Iraq will be ... continue to train, to assist, to help and to deal with ISIS (Islamic State) as it rises, but we're not going to be, by the end of the year, in a combat mission."

He added: "Our counter-terrorism cooperation will continue even as we shift to this new phase."

Al-Kadhimi told the Associated Press ahead of the visit that there is no need for any foreign combat forces staying in Iraq.

He said: "What we want from the U.S. presence in Iraq is to support our forces in training and developing their efficiency and capabilities, and in security cooperation."

There are now around 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq. White House Press Secretary on Monday declined to provide the number of troops staying in Iraq at the end of the year.

U.S. media said the move may not lead to a significant reduction of U.S. military presence in Iraq, given most of the American troops in the country have already been taking training and advising roles for the Iraqi forces.

The two countries agreed to shift U.S. troops' mission back in April, but no timeline for the transition had been set at the time.

Analysts noted that the Iraqi leader faced mounting pressures at home from hardline Shia factions who demand all U.S. troops to leave the country. This shift in the mission of U.S. troops could be seen as a political gain for al-Kadhimi ahead of parliamentary elections in October.

The U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq in 2011, eight years after the U.S.-led invasion. U.S. troops returned to the country in 2014 to support the Iraqi forces in the fight against the Islamic State militants.

Immediately after the deaths of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad airport in Jan. 2020, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq.

Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops across the country and the U.S. embassy in the Green Zone in central Baghdad have been frequently targeted by rocket and drone attacks from Iran-backed Shia militias.

The U.S. military launched retaliatory airstrikes against Shia militants in Syria and Iraq this February and June, only leading to a cycle of more attacks and reprisals.

Earlier this month, up to 14 rockets hit Al-Assad Air Base housing U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq's western province of Anbar, causing two minor injuries.

Source: cctv
Image source: cctv

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”