Thirteen&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;policemen were killed in an Islamic State group&nbsp;attack&nbsp;against a checkpoint in the country's north early Sunday,&nbsp;security&nbsp;and medical sources said.

The&nbsp;attack, in the region of Al-Rashad around 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Kirkuk city, took place just after midnight, a senior&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;police&nbsp;officer told AFP.

"Members of the Islamic State organisation targeted a federal&nbsp;police&nbsp;checkpoint," said the officer, who did not want to be named.&nbsp;

"Thirteen were killed and three wounded" among the&nbsp;security&nbsp;forces, the officer added.&nbsp;

A medical source based in Kirkuk confirmed the toll.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.&nbsp;

IS seized swathes of Iraq in a lightning offensive in 2014, before being beaten back by a counter-insurgency campaign supported by a US-led military coalition.

The&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;government declared the Sunni extremists defeated in late 2017, but they retain sleeper cells which continue to hit&nbsp;security&nbsp;forces with asymmetric attacks.

Jihadist&nbsp;cells regularly target the&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;army and&nbsp;police&nbsp;in northern Iraq, but this&nbsp;attack&nbsp;was one of the most deadly this year.

<a href="Auckland knife attacker was on deportation notice, reveals New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern">Also read |&nbsp;Auckland knife attacker was on deportation notice, reveals New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern</a>

A July 19 bombing claimed by IS officially killed 30 people in the Al-Woheilat market in Sadr City, a Shiite suburb of Baghdad.

International coalition troops in Iraq currently number around 3,500, of which 2,500 are US troops.

But Washington has been drawing down its military presence amid attacks on facilities it uses by Iran-aligned armed groups and has said that from next year the role of US troops will be limited to training and advising their&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;counterparts.&nbsp;

Last Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron visited&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;Kurdistan and expressed concern about an IS "resurgence" in both Iraq and Syria.

He also said that French soldiers deployed in Iraq as part of the international coalition will remain in the country "no matter what choices the Americans make".&nbsp;

Thirteen Iraqi policemen were killed in an Islamic State group attack against a checkpoint in the country's north early Sunday, security and medical sources said.

Thirteen Iraqi policemen were killed in an Islamic State group attack against a checkpoint in the country's north early Sunday, security and medical sources said. The attack, in the region of Al-Rashad around 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Kirkuk city, took place just after midnight, a senior Iraqi police officer told AFP. "Members of the Islamic State organisation targeted a federal police checkpoint," said the officer, who did not want to be named. "Thirteen were killed and three wounded" among the security forces, the officer added. A medical source based in Kirkuk confirmed the toll. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. IS seized swathes of Iraq in a lightning offensive in 2014, before being beaten back by a counter-insurgency campaign supported by a US-led military coalition. The Iraqi government declared the Sunni extremists defeated in late 2017, but they retain sleeper cells which continue to hit security forces with asymmetric attacks. Jihadist cells regularly target the Iraqi army and police in northern Iraq, but this attack was one of the most deadly this year. Also read | Auckland knife attacker was on deportation notice, reveals New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern A July 19 bombing claimed by IS officially killed 30 people in the Al-Woheilat market in Sadr City, a Shiite suburb of Baghdad. International coalition troops in Iraq currently number around 3,500, of which 2,500 are US troops. But Washington has been drawing down its military presence amid attacks on facilities it uses by Iran-aligned armed groups and has said that from next year the role of US troops will be limited to training and advising their Iraqi counterparts. Last Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Iraqi Kurdistan and expressed concern about an IS "resurgence" in both Iraq and Syria. He also said that French soldiers deployed in Iraq as part of the international coalition will remain in the country "no matter what choices the Americans make".

IS jihadist attack kills 13 Iraqi police: Security, medics

Iraq hosted a regional summit aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East while emphasising the Arab country’s new role as a mediator.

Iranian, Gulf Arab officials meet in Baghdad

In Pics | Emmanuel Macron visits ISIS former stronghold in Iraq's Mosul

French President Emmanuel&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;was to pay a visit Sunday to the Islamic State group's&nbsp;former&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;stronghold&nbsp;Mosul, a day after vowing to keep troops in the country.

Macron&nbsp;made the commitment during a regional summit in Baghdad largely devoted to the fight against terrorism and the impact of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan as the US withdraws.

"No matter what choices the Americans make, we will maintain our presence in&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;to fight against terrorism," he told a news conference on Saturday.

On Sunday, the French leader will set foot in&nbsp;Mosul, a Sunni Muslim city recaptured from the Islamic State group (IS) in 2017 after three years.

His visit to&nbsp;Mosul, a melting pot of&nbsp;Iraq's diverse ethnic and religious communities, is seen as an opportunity to renew his support for Christians in the Middle East.

Macron&nbsp;was to visit the Church of Our Lady of the Hour, a church that the UN's cultural agency UNESCO is working to restore.

France, which finances French-speaking Christian schools in the region, aims to boost the plight of Christians in the Middle East, as well as other minorities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/unsc-does-not-refer-to-taliban-in-kabul-airport-attack-statement-409146">Also read |&nbsp;UNSC does not refer to Taliban in Kabul airport attack statement</a>

"This message is civilisational but also geopolitical. There will be no balance in&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;if there is no respect for these communities," said the French president.

Macron&nbsp;was also due to make a stop at the site of&nbsp;Mosul's Al-Nuri mosque, where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had declared the establishment of a "caliphate" in 2014.

IS blew up the famed 12th century mosque in June 2017 as Iraqi forces closed in on the jihadists in&nbsp;Mosul's Old City.

UNESCO is now organising a vast project to rebuild it almost identically, with its famed leaning minaret.

The mosque and church are part of three reconstruction projects led by UNESCO and funded by the United Arab Emirates to the tune of $50 million.

The initiative, called "Reviving the Spirit of&nbsp;Mosul", the largest in the organisation's history, includes plans to rebuild Ottoman-style heritage houses as part of a European-funded project.

The French president on Friday visited the Shiite Muslim shrine of Imam Musa Al-Kadhim in northern Baghdad district of Kadhimiya, accompanied by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.

It was the first such visit for a French president, he said.

Macron&nbsp;will also meet with young Iraqis, including entrepreneurs and students, at the University of&nbsp;Mosul.

He will later Sunday visit Arbil, capital of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.

After a visit to French special forces at Camp Grenier, he will hold talks with Kurdish President Netchirvan Barzani, as well as his predecessor, Massud Barzani.

"I look forward to discuss bilateral ties, Iraqi elections and other pressing issues with President&nbsp;Macron. I remain grateful for France’s continued support to the Kurdistan Region and&nbsp;Iraq," the Iraqi Kurdish president tweeted.

Macron&nbsp;will also meet the family of a Peshmerga fighter killed by IS, to pay tribute to the Kurdish contribution to the fight against the jihadists.

French President Emmanuel Macron was to pay a visit Sunday to the Islamic State group's former Iraqi stronghold Mosul, a day after vowing to keep troops in the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron was to pay a visit Sunday to the Islamic State group's former Iraqi stronghold Mosul, a day after vowing to keep troops in the country. Macron made the commitment during a regional summit in Baghdad largely devoted to the fight against terrorism and the impact of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan as the US withdraws. "No matter what choices the Americans make, we will maintain our presence in Iraq to fight against terrorism," he told a news conference on Saturday. On Sunday, the French leader will set foot in Mosul, a Sunni Muslim city recaptured from the Islamic State group (IS) in 2017 after three years. His visit to Mosul, a melting pot of Iraq's diverse ethnic and religious communities, is seen as an opportunity to renew his support for Christians in the Middle East. Macron was to visit the Church of Our Lady of the Hour, a church that the UN's cultural agency UNESCO is working to restore. France, which finances French-speaking Christian schools in the region, aims to boost the plight of Christians in the Middle East, as well as other minorities. Also read | UNSC does not refer to Taliban in Kabul airport attack statement "This message is civilisational but also geopolitical. There will be no balance in Iraq if there is no respect for these communities," said the French president. Macron was also due to make a stop at the site of Mosul's Al-Nuri mosque, where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had declared the establishment of a "caliphate" in 2014. IS blew up the famed 12th century mosque in June 2017 as Iraqi forces closed in on the jihadists in Mosul's Old City. UNESCO is now organising a vast project to rebuild it almost identically, with its famed leaning minaret. The mosque and church are part of three reconstruction projects led by UNESCO and funded by the United Arab Emirates to the tune of $50 million. The initiative, called "Reviving the Spirit of Mosul", the largest in the organisation's history, includes plans to rebuild Ottoman-style heritage houses as part of a European-funded project. The French president on Friday visited the Shiite Muslim shrine of Imam Musa Al-Kadhim in northern Baghdad district of Kadhimiya, accompanied by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi. It was the first such visit for a French president, he said. Macron will also meet with young Iraqis, including entrepreneurs and students, at the University of Mosul. He will later Sunday visit Arbil, capital of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. After a visit to French special forces at Camp Grenier, he will hold talks with Kurdish President Netchirvan Barzani, as well as his predecessor, Massud Barzani. "I look forward to discuss bilateral ties, Iraqi elections and other pressing issues with President Macron. I remain grateful for France’s continued support to the Kurdistan Region and Iraq," the Iraqi Kurdish president tweeted. Macron will also meet the family of a Peshmerga fighter killed by IS, to pay tribute to the Kurdish contribution to the fight against the jihadists.

Macron visits IS former stronghold in Iraq's Mosul

As the Afghan crisis worsens and US troops move towards the August 31 deadline, the French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France will stay back in Iraq even if the US troops withdraw.

His announcement came at a regional summit on Saturday in Iraq, that he attended as the threat of Taliban is spreading in the nearby areas of Afghanistan.

"No matter what choices the Americans make, we will maintain our presence in Iraq to fight against terrorism," Macron told a news conference in Baghdad.&nbsp;"We have the operational capacity to ensure this presence."

"We all know that we must not lower our guard, because Daesh (the Islamic State group) remains a threat, and I know that the fight against these terrorist groups is a priority of your government," Macron said.

He also added that&nbsp;France is in talks with the Taliban on humanitarian operations.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-announces-that-it-carried-out-a-drone-strike-in-eastern-afghanistan-408941">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-announces-that-it-carried-out-a-drone-strike-in-eastern-afghanistan-408941/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">Along with Macron,&nbsp;Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also attended the Baghdad summit.</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">This summit comes at an important time when the Taliban has started its regime in Afghanistan, as the US withdraws its troops from the country. Meanwhile, ISIS-K has expressed its displeasure of Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan by launching deadly attacks that have taken more than 160 lives of locals in Kabul.</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">However, the summit got overshadowed by the happenings in Afghanistan. However, Macron said that "given the geopolitical events, this conference has taken a special turn".</div>

As the Afghan crisis worsens and US troops move towards the August 31 deadline, the French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France will stay back in Iraq even if the US troops withdraw.

As the Afghan crisis worsens and US troops move towards the August 31 deadline, the French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France will stay back in Iraq even if the US troops withdraw. His announcement came at a regional summit on Saturday in Iraq, that he attended as the threat of Taliban is spreading in the nearby areas of Afghanistan. "No matter what choices the Americans make, we will maintain our presence in Iraq to fight against terrorism," Macron told a news conference in Baghdad. "We have the operational capacity to ensure this presence." "We all know that we must not lower our guard, because Daesh (the Islamic State group) remains a threat, and I know that the fight against these terrorist groups is a priority of your government," Macron said. He also added that France is in talks with the Taliban on humanitarian operations. WATCH | Along with Macron, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also attended the Baghdad summit. This summit comes at an important time when the Taliban has started its regime in Afghanistan, as the US withdraws its troops from the country. Meanwhile, ISIS-K has expressed its displeasure of Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan by launching deadly attacks that have taken more than 160 lives of locals in Kabul. However, the summit got overshadowed by the happenings in Afghanistan. However, Macron said that "given the geopolitical events, this conference has taken a special turn".

France to stay in Iraq even if US troops withdraw: Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;warned of the threat the Islamic State group poses ahead of an Iraqi&nbsp;summit&nbsp;Saturday overshadowed by the Taliban's takeover of&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;and a deadly bombing in Kabul.

Organisers have been tight-lipped on the agenda of the&nbsp;summit&nbsp;in Baghdad, but the meeting also comes as&nbsp;Iraq, long a casualty of jihadist militancy, tries to establish itself as a mediator between Arab countries and Iran.

"We all know that we must not lower our guard, because Daesh (IS) remains a threat, and I know that the fight&nbsp;against&nbsp;these terrorist groups is a priority of your government,"&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;said, after a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi in Baghdad.

Iraq&nbsp;and France "are key partners in the war&nbsp;against&nbsp;terrorism," Kadhemi replied.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II are due at the&nbsp;summit, while the foreign ministers of regional foes Iran and Saudi Arabia will also be present.

The prime minster of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, as well as Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah are also expected to attend.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-airstrike-targets-is-in-afghanistan-in-response-to-deadly-suicide-attack-408905">Also read |&nbsp;US airstrike targets IS in Afghanistan in response to deadly suicide attack</a>

Iraq&nbsp;is seeking to play a "unifying role" to tackle crises shaking the region, sources close to&nbsp;Iraq's Kadhemi have said.

Oil-rich&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;has been caught for years in a delicate balancing act between its two main allies, Iran and the United States.

Iran exerts major clout in&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;through allied armed groups within the Hashed al-Shaabi, a powerful state-sponsored paramilitary network.

Baghdad has been brokering talks since April between US ally Riyadh and Tehran on mending ties severed in 2016.

Macron&nbsp;aims to highlight France's role in the region and its determination to press the fight&nbsp;against&nbsp;terrorism, his office said.

The French president considers&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;"essential" to stability in the troubled Middle East, it added.

'More urgent than ever'

An IS affiliate claimed Thursday's suicide bombing in Kabul that killed scores of people, including 13 US service members.

The attack has revived global concerns that the extremist organisation, which seized swathes of Syria and&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;before being routed from both countries, is emerging anew, analysts said.

The blast came during the final days of US-led evacuations from&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;after the Taliban's lightning takeover.

"These events show that it has become more urgent than ever to back the political process in&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;and involve its neighbours," a source close to&nbsp;Macron&nbsp;said.

"A solution to security threats in the region, including Daesh, depends on a stable, sovereign and prosperous&nbsp;Iraq," the source added.

A decade after the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein, IS in June 2014 announced a "caliphate" in territory seized in Syria and&nbsp;Iraq, routing the badly prepared Iraqi army without a fight and seizing almost a third of the country.

France was part of a US-led coalition established to battle the extremists.

Iraq&nbsp;declared IS territorially defeated in December 2017, but the group still retains sleeper cells and continues to claim bloody attacks.

New IS 'strides'

One of the deadliest was a July bombing that ripped through a crowded Baghdad market, killing over 30 people on the eve of a key Muslim holiday.

According to Colin Clarke, senior research fellow at the Soufan Center, IS "still has access to tens of millions of dollars and will likely continue to rebuild its network throughout&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;and Syria".

Its "primary goal at the moment is to have its affiliates maintain momentum until it can sufficiently rebuild its core in the Levant," he said.

"(IS) affiliates in sub-Saharan Africa and now&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;will have the opportunity to make strides in the coming year."

In July, President Joe Biden said US combat operations in&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;would end this year, but that US soldiers would continue to train, advise and support the country's military in the fight&nbsp;against&nbsp;IS.

Washington currently has 2,500 troops deployed to&nbsp;Iraq.

Rasha Al Aqeedi, senior analyst at Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy, said coalition forces believed&nbsp;Iraq's security personnel could prevent another IS advance.

"Maybe they're not ideal, but they're good enough for America to leave the country believing that&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;is not going to live through another 2014," she said.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned of the threat the Islamic State group poses ahead of an Iraqi summit Saturday overshadowed by the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and a deadly bombing in Kabul.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned of the threat the Islamic State group poses ahead of an Iraqi summit Saturday overshadowed by the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and a deadly bombing in Kabul. Organisers have been tight-lipped on the agenda of the summit in Baghdad, but the meeting also comes as Iraq, long a casualty of jihadist militancy, tries to establish itself as a mediator between Arab countries and Iran. "We all know that we must not lower our guard, because Daesh (IS) remains a threat, and I know that the fight against these terrorist groups is a priority of your government," Macron said, after a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi in Baghdad. Iraq and France "are key partners in the war against terrorism," Kadhemi replied. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II are due at the summit, while the foreign ministers of regional foes Iran and Saudi Arabia will also be present. The prime minster of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, as well as Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah are also expected to attend. Also read | US airstrike targets IS in Afghanistan in response to deadly suicide attack Iraq is seeking to play a "unifying role" to tackle crises shaking the region, sources close to Iraq's Kadhemi have said. Oil-rich Iraq has been caught for years in a delicate balancing act between its two main allies, Iran and the United States. Iran exerts major clout in Iraq through allied armed groups within the Hashed al-Shaabi, a powerful state-sponsored paramilitary network. Baghdad has been brokering talks since April between US ally Riyadh and Tehran on mending ties severed in 2016. Macron aims to highlight France's role in the region and its determination to press the fight against terrorism, his office said. The French president considers Iraq "essential" to stability in the troubled Middle East, it added. 'More urgent than ever' An IS affiliate claimed Thursday's suicide bombing in Kabul that killed scores of people, including 13 US service members. The attack has revived global concerns that the extremist organisation, which seized swathes of Syria and Iraq before being routed from both countries, is emerging anew, analysts said. The blast came during the final days of US-led evacuations from Afghanistan after the Taliban's lightning takeover. "These events show that it has become more urgent than ever to back the political process in Iraq and involve its neighbours," a source close to Macron said. "A solution to security threats in the region, including Daesh, depends on a stable, sovereign and prosperous Iraq," the source added. A decade after the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein, IS in June 2014 announced a "caliphate" in territory seized in Syria and Iraq, routing the badly prepared Iraqi army without a fight and seizing almost a third of the country. France was part of a US-led coalition established to battle the extremists. Iraq declared IS territorially defeated in December 2017, but the group still retains sleeper cells and continues to claim bloody attacks. New IS 'strides' One of the deadliest was a July bombing that ripped through a crowded Baghdad market, killing over 30 people on the eve of a key Muslim holiday. According to Colin Clarke, senior research fellow at the Soufan Center, IS "still has access to tens of millions of dollars and will likely continue to rebuild its network throughout Iraq and Syria". Its "primary goal at the moment is to have its affiliates maintain momentum until it can sufficiently rebuild its core in the Levant," he said. "(IS) affiliates in sub-Saharan Africa and now Afghanistan will have the opportunity to make strides in the coming year." In July, President Joe Biden said US combat operations in Iraq would end this year, but that US soldiers would continue to train, advise and support the country's military in the fight against IS. Washington currently has 2,500 troops deployed to Iraq. Rasha Al Aqeedi, senior analyst at Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy, said coalition forces believed Iraq's security personnel could prevent another IS advance. "Maybe they're not ideal, but they're good enough for America to leave the country believing that Iraq is not going to live through another 2014," she said.

Macron warns against IS as Afghanistan overshadows Iraq summit

Four&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;soldiers&nbsp;have been&nbsp;killed&nbsp;in two separate incidents in northern&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;where they are battling Kurdish militants, the defence&nbsp;ministry&nbsp;said Monday.

Three&nbsp;soldiers&nbsp;died and two were injured when an improvised explosive device went off Sunday in an area where&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;forces have been conducting an operation against fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the&nbsp;ministry&nbsp;said.

Another soldier was&nbsp;killed&nbsp;and one wounded in a shootout with Kurdish fighters near a&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;military base, it said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-to-recognise-a-future-afghan-govt-only-if-it-upholds-basic-rights-blinken-405979">Also read |&nbsp;US to recognise a future Afghan govt only if it upholds basic rights: Blinken&nbsp;</a>

Turkish&nbsp;forces routinely conduct operations against PKK bases in rugged mountains in northern&nbsp;Iraq.

The group is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its Western allies.

Turkish&nbsp;troops have maintained a network of bases in&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;since the mid-1990s under security agreements struck with Saddam Hussein's regime.

The PKK has waged a rebellion in the mainly Kurdish southeast of Turkey since 1984 that has claimed more than 40,000 lives.

The PKK's pan-Kurdish agenda for a homeland straddling parts of Syria, Turkey,&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;and Iran&nbsp;has often put it at odds with&nbsp;Iraq's autonomous Kurdish government, which has sought to maintain good relations with Ankara.

Four Turkish soldiers have been killed in two separate incidents in northern Iraq where they are battling Kurdish militants, the defence ministry said Monday. Three soldiers died and two were injured when an improvised explosive device went off Sunday in an area where Turkish forces have been conducting an operation against fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the ministry said.

Four Turkish soldiers have been killed in two separate incidents in northern Iraq where they are battling Kurdish militants, the defence ministry said Monday. Three soldiers died and two were injured when an improvised explosive device went off Sunday in an area where Turkish forces have been conducting an operation against fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the ministry said. Another soldier was killed and one wounded in a shootout with Kurdish fighters near a Turkish military base, it said. Also read | US to recognise a future Afghan govt only if it upholds basic rights: Blinken Turkish forces routinely conduct operations against PKK bases in rugged mountains in northern Iraq. The group is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its Western allies. Turkish troops have maintained a network of bases in Iraq since the mid-1990s under security agreements struck with Saddam Hussein's regime. The PKK has waged a rebellion in the mainly Kurdish southeast of Turkey since 1984 that has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The PKK's pan-Kurdish agenda for a homeland straddling parts of Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran has often put it at odds with Iraq's autonomous Kurdish government, which has sought to maintain good relations with Ankara.

Four Turkish soldiers killed in Iraq: Ministry

A mathematician from Australia's University of New South Wales discovered that a 3,700-year-old tablet, previously thought to be a "teacher's list of school difficulties," is the earliest example of applied geometry.&nbsp;

The tablet was found in the 19th century and has spent almost a century in an Istanbul museum.

The tablet was unearthed in what is now central Iraq and was given the designation Si.427.&nbsp;

The circular tablet features a diagram drawn by a Babylonian surveyor about 1900-1600 BC.

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"It's the only known example of a cadastral document from the OB (Old Babylonian) period, which is a plan used by surveyors to define land boundaries," mathematician Daniel Mansfield said.

Trigonometry 1,000 years before Pythagoras

This is a significant object because the surveyor uses what are now known as "Pythagorean triples" to make accurate right angles.

"This is over a thousand years before Pythagoras was born. The discovery turns our understanding of the history of mathematics on its head. It is generally accepted that trigonometry – the branch of maths that is concerned with the study of triangles – was developed by the ancient Greeks studying the night sky in the second century BCE," Dr Mansfield said.

Mansfield and his UNSW colleague Norman Wildberger had previously examined another tablet from the same age that used Pythogorus triplets to depict right-angled triangles. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A mathematician from Australia's University of New South Wales discovered that a 3,700-year-old tablet, previously thought to be a "teacher's list of school difficulties," is the earliest example of applied geometry.

A mathematician from Australia's University of New South Wales discovered that a 3,700-year-old tablet, previously thought to be a "teacher's list of school difficulties," is the earliest example of applied geometry. The tablet was found in the 19th century and has spent almost a century in an Istanbul museum. The tablet was unearthed in what is now central Iraq and was given the designation Si.427. The circular tablet features a diagram drawn by a Babylonian surveyor about 1900-1600 BC. × "It's the only known example of a cadastral document from the OB (Old Babylonian) period, which is a plan used by surveyors to define land boundaries," mathematician Daniel Mansfield said. Trigonometry 1,000 years before Pythagoras This is a significant object because the surveyor uses what are now known as "Pythagorean triples" to make accurate right angles. "This is over a thousand years before Pythagoras was born. The discovery turns our understanding of the history of mathematics on its head. It is generally accepted that trigonometry – the branch of maths that is concerned with the study of triangles – was developed by the ancient Greeks studying the night sky in the second century BCE," Dr Mansfield said. Mansfield and his UNSW colleague Norman Wildberger had previously examined another tablet from the same age that used Pythogorus triplets to depict right-angled triangles. (With inputs from agencies)

Trigonometry 1,000 years before Pythagoras: Applied geometry engraved on 3,700-yr-old clay tablet found

Five&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;troops were killed Thursday when their helicopter crashed on a "combat mission" north of Baghdad, the military said, as a security source confirmed it had been hit by ground fire.

The helicopter came down near Amerli in Salaheddin province, the military said, in an area where&nbsp;Iraqi&nbsp;troops have carried out repeated operations against suspected sleeper cells of the Islamic State group.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rockets-fired-near-us-embassy-in-baghdad-401459">Rockets fired near US embassy in Baghdad</a>

Video footage sent to journalists in Baghdad showed firefighters attempting to put out a blaze in the wreckage of the aircraft.

The security forces had launched an operation on Tuesday to "search and clear areas in the south of Kirkuk province", which borders Salaheddin, a statement on their Twitter account said.

The security source told AFP that the helicopter that came down was one of two that had been checking pylons carrying high-voltage power lines in the area, a frequent target for holdout jihadists in recent months.

As the two aircraft approached Amerli district, one of them took a "direct hit" which forced it down.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-announces-new-phase-in-iraq-relations-end-of-combat-operations-400856">Biden announces ‘new phase’ in Iraq relations, end of ‘combat operations’</a>

The Islamic State group lost its last territory in Iraq in 2017 after a bloody three-year campaign that put paid to its hopes of forging a transnational "caliphate" straddling the border with Syria.

But the jihadists retain sleeper cells in desert and mountain areas that they have used as launchpads for attacks in Iraq's cities.

A July 19 suicide bombing claimed by the Sunni extremists killed 30 people in a street market in a Shiite district of Baghdad.

Five Iraqi troops were killed Thursday when their helicopter crashed on a "combat mission" north of Baghdad, the military said, as a security source confirmed it had been hit by ground fire.

Five Iraqi troops were killed Thursday when their helicopter crashed on a "combat mission" north of Baghdad, the military said, as a security source confirmed it had been hit by ground fire. The helicopter came down near Amerli in Salaheddin province, the military said, in an area where Iraqi troops have carried out repeated operations against suspected sleeper cells of the Islamic State group. Also read | Rockets fired near US embassy in Baghdad Video footage sent to journalists in Baghdad showed firefighters attempting to put out a blaze in the wreckage of the aircraft. The security forces had launched an operation on Tuesday to "search and clear areas in the south of Kirkuk province", which borders Salaheddin, a statement on their Twitter account said. The security source told AFP that the helicopter that came down was one of two that had been checking pylons carrying high-voltage power lines in the area, a frequent target for holdout jihadists in recent months. As the two aircraft approached Amerli district, one of them took a "direct hit" which forced it down. Also read | Biden announces ‘new phase’ in Iraq relations, end of ‘combat operations’ The Islamic State group lost its last territory in Iraq in 2017 after a bloody three-year campaign that put paid to its hopes of forging a transnational "caliphate" straddling the border with Syria. But the jihadists retain sleeper cells in desert and mountain areas that they have used as launchpads for attacks in Iraq's cities. A July 19 suicide bombing claimed by the Sunni extremists killed 30 people in a street market in a Shiite district of Baghdad.

Five Iraqi crew killed in helicopter crash on combat mission: Military

Two rockets were fired at Baghdad's fortified Green Zone on Thursday. AFP quoted security sources to say that there was not any casualty or damage. The Green Zone houses US embassy. Iraqi interior ministry said that one rocket hit the ground near the Al-Rahman Mosque in the capital's Mansur district, which borders the Green Zone

The attack took place at dawn when Prime Minister &nbsp;Mustafa al-Kadhemi was flying home from Washington after White House talks. During his visit, US President Joe Biden announced end to US combay operations in Iraq.

In recent months, attacks on US interests in Baghdad has been a daily affair. These attacks have been blamed on pro-Iran armed groups within Iraq's security apparatus.

But the attacks had died down in the weeks running up to Kadhemi's Washington visit during which he had faced pressure from hardliners to secure a firm withdrawal date for all remaining US troops.

There had been just one attack since the first week of July, a Saturday drone strike targeting an airbase in Iraqi Kurdistan, which also caused no casualties or damage.

Biden said US relations with Iraq would enter a new phase with American troops exiting combat operations in the country by year-end.

Amid the threat of resurgence of the Islamic State group and Iran's powerful influence in Baghdad, Biden stressed that Washington remains "committed to our security cooperation" while Kadhemi reaffirmed the two countries' "strategic partnership".

But, in a shift that comes as the United States pulls out of Afghanistan, the US leader confirmed that the 2,500 US troops still in Iraq won't be fighting by year-end.

His announcement was welcomed by the Conquest Alliance, the political wing of Iraq's Hashed-al-Shaabi paramilitary network, which is dominated by pro-Iran groups, but not by hardline factions which fear the change will be purely nominal.

(With inputs from agencies)

Two rockets were fired at Baghdad's fortified Green Zone on Thursday. AFP quoted security sources to say that there was not any casualty or damage. The Green Zone houses US embassy.

Two rockets were fired at Baghdad's fortified Green Zone on Thursday. AFP quoted security sources to say that there was not any casualty or damage. The Green Zone houses US embassy. Iraqi interior ministry said that one rocket hit the ground near the Al-Rahman Mosque in the capital's Mansur district, which borders the Green Zone The attack took place at dawn when Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi was flying home from Washington after White House talks. During his visit, US President Joe Biden announced end to US combay operations in Iraq. In recent months, attacks on US interests in Baghdad has been a daily affair. These attacks have been blamed on pro-Iran armed groups within Iraq's security apparatus. But the attacks had died down in the weeks running up to Kadhemi's Washington visit during which he had faced pressure from hardliners to secure a firm withdrawal date for all remaining US troops. There had been just one attack since the first week of July, a Saturday drone strike targeting an airbase in Iraqi Kurdistan, which also caused no casualties or damage. Biden said US relations with Iraq would enter a new phase with American troops exiting combat operations in the country by year-end. Amid the threat of resurgence of the Islamic State group and Iran's powerful influence in Baghdad, Biden stressed that Washington remains "committed to our security cooperation" while Kadhemi reaffirmed the two countries' "strategic partnership". But, in a shift that comes as the United States pulls out of Afghanistan, the US leader confirmed that the 2,500 US troops still in Iraq won't be fighting by year-end. His announcement was welcomed by the Conquest Alliance, the political wing of Iraq's Hashed-al-Shaabi paramilitary network, which is dominated by pro-Iran groups, but not by hardline factions which fear the change will be purely nominal. (With inputs from agencies)

Rockets fired near US embassy in Baghdad

Iraq's prime minister is visiting Washington this weekend to demand that President Joe Biden withdraw all US combat troops from Iraq, announcing to Iraqi media that the visit would "put an end to the presence of combat forces."

United States troops to end combat role in Iraq, US forces to train and advice Iraqi troops

The United States will formally end its combat mission in Iraq by the end of the year but will continue to train and advise the Iraqi military, President Joe Biden announced on Monday.

US ending combat role in Iraq this year

An agreement signed Saturday in Baghdad will see Iraq provide one million tonnes of fuel oil to Lebanon in exchange for medical services.

Energy shortages are a major issue in both countries, affecting hospitals.

In exchange for "goods and services," the Iraqi government said Lebanon would receive 1 million tonnes of fuel oil.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-cant-handle-next-covid-19-wave-hospital-chief-400337">Lebanon can't handle next COVID-19 wave: hospital chief</a>

Raymond Ghajar, the energy minister of Lebanon, said the agreement would enable the purchase of "one million tonnes of Iraqi state fuel oil by Electricite du Liban (EDL)" over the next year.

However, Iraqi oil can't be used directly at Lebanon's power stations, so Beirut will now buy fuel from other suppliers in exchange for Iraqi oil, which will be delivered to Lebanon, explained Ghajar, adding the mechanism was "a bit complicated".

As a result of this agreement, EDL will receive a third of its fuel needs, he said, expressing the hope that&nbsp;over the next four months&nbsp;the EDL will provide as much as nine or 10 hours of electricity (daily).

Lebanon will provide Iraq with services and assistance in the hospitals' sector in return, he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanons-public-water-system-on-the-verge-of-collapse-warns-unicef-400293">Lebanon's public water system on the verge of collapse, warns UNICEF</a>

Strained by a dire financial and economical crisis, the Lebanese state is having difficulties purchasing fuel for its power plants, which causes up to 22 hours of electricity cuts per day in some areas.

The health care sector is already facing shortages of medicine and an exodus of staff abroad, and now it is also experiencing power outages almost constantly.

OPEC's second-largest producer, Iraq, has been plagued by conflict, poor maintenance, and corruption throughout its energy sector for decades.

Health infrastructure in Iraq is deteriorating, and endemic corruption has also hindered public service investments.

(With inputs from agencies)

An agreement signed Saturday in Baghdad will see Iraq provide one million tonnes of fuel oil to Lebanon in exchange for medical services. Energy shortages are a major issue in both countries, affecting hospitals.

An agreement signed Saturday in Baghdad will see Iraq provide one million tonnes of fuel oil to Lebanon in exchange for medical services. Energy shortages are a major issue in both countries, affecting hospitals. In exchange for "goods and services," the Iraqi government said Lebanon would receive 1 million tonnes of fuel oil. Also read | Lebanon can't handle next COVID-19 wave: hospital chief Raymond Ghajar, the energy minister of Lebanon, said the agreement would enable the purchase of "one million tonnes of Iraqi state fuel oil by Electricite du Liban (EDL)" over the next year. However, Iraqi oil can't be used directly at Lebanon's power stations, so Beirut will now buy fuel from other suppliers in exchange for Iraqi oil, which will be delivered to Lebanon, explained Ghajar, adding the mechanism was "a bit complicated". As a result of this agreement, EDL will receive a third of its fuel needs, he said, expressing the hope that over the next four months the EDL will provide as much as nine or 10 hours of electricity (daily). Lebanon will provide Iraq with services and assistance in the hospitals' sector in return, he said. Also read | Lebanon's public water system on the verge of collapse, warns UNICEF Strained by a dire financial and economical crisis, the Lebanese state is having difficulties purchasing fuel for its power plants, which causes up to 22 hours of electricity cuts per day in some areas. The health care sector is already facing shortages of medicine and an exodus of staff abroad, and now it is also experiencing power outages almost constantly. OPEC's second-largest producer, Iraq, has been plagued by conflict, poor maintenance, and corruption throughout its energy sector for decades. Health infrastructure in Iraq is deteriorating, and endemic corruption has also hindered public service investments. (With inputs from agencies)

Iraq, Lebanon sign deal to swap fuel oil for medical services

Iraq’s prime minister is heading to Washington this weekend to demand that President Joe Biden withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq, announcing to Iraqi media that the visit would “put an end to the presence of combat forces.”

US&nbsp;officials say the United States is likely to oblige the request from Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, setting a deadline to be announced Monday for the withdrawal of US&nbsp;combat forces by the end of the year.

Pentagon and other administration officials say they will achieve this by removing a small but unspecified number of the 2,500 U.S. forces currently stationed in Iraq and by reclassifying on paper the roles of other forces. Al-Kadhimi will have a political trophy to take home to satisfy anti-American factions in Iraq, and the U.S. military presence will remain.

“There will be no U.S. military forces in a combat role by the end of the year,” said a senior U.S. official familiar with ongoing discussions. “We anticipate some force adjustments in line with that commitment.”

What appears to be a set piece of diplomatic theater is the latest effort by al-Kadhimi to tread between the needs and demands of Iraq’s two closest allies, the United States and Iran. Pro-Iranian factions have been clamoring for a U.S. departure, while Iraqi officials acknowledge they still need the help of U.S. forces.

The Biden administration in turn is grappling with how to operate in a country that since the U.S. invasion 18 years ago has fallen increasingly under the grip of Iranian-backed militias and a corrupt political system that has brought Iraq’s government institutions to the brink of collapse.

Al-Kadhimi’s government, along with many senior Iraqi military officials, quietly favor the roughly 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq staying in their current form. But the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top security and intelligence commander, along with a senior Iraqi security official and eight others in a U.S. drone strike in 2020, has made the U.S.’ current presence politically impossible, and politically undesirable in the United States. After the U.S. drone strike, Iraq’s parliament demanded the government expel U.S. forces — a motion that was nonbinding but sent a strong message to any politician who wanted to stay in power, including the prime minister.

Grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, a budget crisis and powerful Iranian-backed militias largely beyond his control, al-Kadhimi has accomplished little since taking office two years ago. His advisers argue that if only he were given more time, he could rein in the militias, cut corruption and arrest more killers of hundreds of unarmed protesters and activists.

Most of Iraq’s paramilitary units were formed in 2014 in response to a call by the country’s most revered Shiite cleric for Iraqis to mobilize against the Islamic State group. Those militias were later absorbed into Iraq’s official security forces, but the most powerful are tied to Iran and only nominally under control of the Iraqi state.

The United States has repeatedly blamed Iranian-backed militias for the persistent attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq. The U.S. and many Iraqi officials believe the militias are also responsible for most of the assassinations of activists and for a wide range of illegal moneymaking schemes.

Monday’s announcement comes as the Pentagon nears the end of its withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, ending a 20-year presence there, even as the Taliban have captured dozens of districts around the country in a military offensive.

After President Barack Obama withdrew troops from Iraq in 2011, some remained, under the authority of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Three years later, with Islamic State group fighters capturing territory across much of Iraq and Syria, the Iraqi government requested U.S. military support to help fight the terrorist group.

Since the Islamic State group was driven from its last Iraqi stronghold in 2017, U.S. officials have consistently maintained that since there are currently no combat operations authorized in Iraq, there are no combat troops in the country. But they acknowledge a small number of U.S. Special Operations Forces serving as advisers, and trainers occasionally accompany Iraqi counterterrorism forces on combat missions against Islamic State group fighters.

In Washington on Friday, Pentagon officials said they expected the troop levels in Iraq to remain at their current level of about 2,500 and that the role of some U.S. forces would be redefined.

But while giving al-Kadhimi temporary political cover, a reclassification of U.S. forces rather than a drawdown likely will not satisfy the militias and political parties calling for a withdrawal of all troops, Iraqi officials say.

“Changing their name from combat forces to trainers and advisers — we consider it as an attempt at deception,” said Mohammad al-Rubai’e, political spokesperson for Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the biggest Iranian-backed militias, which maintains 16 seats in the Iraqi parliament.

Those militias and many Iraqi politicians linked to them contend that the real purpose of U.S. forces in Iraq is to counter Iran, not threats from the Islamic State group. Iran this year has carried out increasingly sophisticated attacks, including drone strikes, on U.S. targets in Iraq, and the United States has launched calibrated retaliatory strikes.

“The dialogue with the United States is, how can we think about maintaining a presence that is useful without incurring a high political cost?” Thanassis Cambanis, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, a U.S. think tank, said during a visit to Iraq this week. “The interests of the two sides don’t really align because the United States isn’t going to see it in its interests to continue to be attacked by these militias that the government of Iraq can’t curtail.”

Iran denies responsibility for the attacks, according to Iraqi officials, but its leaders have also made clear that they intend to retaliate against the United States for killing Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi deputy commander overseeing militias.

The United States over the past year has increasingly focused on force protection, withdrawing from vulnerable bases in Iraq to consolidate its presence on three Iraqi military installations.

While the Islamic State group is no longer able to capture territory, the group continues to launch destabilizing attacks such as bombings in markets that point out weaknesses in Iraqi security forces.

“Within Iraq, ISIS is defeated as a significant military threat, but its radical ideology lives on,” said Mark Kimmitt, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and former State Department official who now consults for U.S. firms doing business in Iraq. “Deradicalization, however, is not part of the U.S. mission.”

The U.S. occupation of Iraq convulsed the country, not only toppling its dictator in 2003 but also disbanding the army, hollowing out its government institutions and helping returned Iraqi exiles create a political system along sectarian and ethnic lines that haunts the nation to this day.

For years that system has awarded government ministries to political parties that siphon off money meant for public services and has contributed to barely functioning hospitals, ongoing electricity cuts, millions of jobless Iraqis and a government that cannot pay its bills.

Infrastructure such as electricity that barely functioned after more than a decade of US-led sanctions before the war has never been fully repaired. Battles against al-Qaida, Iraq’s civil war and the fight against the Islamic State group further damaged infrastructure.

With falling oil prices last year, Iraq found itself having trouble meeting its huge government payroll, which has tripled since 2004 as political parties in charge of ministries create jobs for loyalists.

“We are now talking about repairing damage from the ex-regime, al-Qaida, ISIS and the damage induced by the ruling political class,” said Luay al-Khatteeb, a technocrat former electricity minister. “If this chaos continues, it will lead to the destruction of the country.”

Iraq’s prime minister is heading to Washington this weekend to demand that President Joe Biden withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq, announcing to Iraqi media that the visit would “put an end to the presence of combat forces.

Iraq’s prime minister is heading to Washington this weekend to demand that President Joe Biden withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq, announcing to Iraqi media that the visit would “put an end to the presence of combat forces.” US officials say the United States is likely to oblige the request from Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, setting a deadline to be announced Monday for the withdrawal of US combat forces by the end of the year. Pentagon and other administration officials say they will achieve this by removing a small but unspecified number of the 2,500 U.S. forces currently stationed in Iraq and by reclassifying on paper the roles of other forces. Al-Kadhimi will have a political trophy to take home to satisfy anti-American factions in Iraq, and the U.S. military presence will remain. “There will be no U.S. military forces in a combat role by the end of the year,” said a senior U.S. official familiar with ongoing discussions. “We anticipate some force adjustments in line with that commitment.” What appears to be a set piece of diplomatic theater is the latest effort by al-Kadhimi to tread between the needs and demands of Iraq’s two closest allies, the United States and Iran. Pro-Iranian factions have been clamoring for a U.S. departure, while Iraqi officials acknowledge they still need the help of U.S. forces. The Biden administration in turn is grappling with how to operate in a country that since the U.S. invasion 18 years ago has fallen increasingly under the grip of Iranian-backed militias and a corrupt political system that has brought Iraq’s government institutions to the brink of collapse. Al-Kadhimi’s government, along with many senior Iraqi military officials, quietly favor the roughly 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq staying in their current form. But the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top security and intelligence commander, along with a senior Iraqi security official and eight others in a U.S. drone strike in 2020, has made the U.S.’ current presence politically impossible, and politically undesirable in the United States. After the U.S. drone strike, Iraq’s parliament demanded the government expel U.S. forces — a motion that was nonbinding but sent a strong message to any politician who wanted to stay in power, including the prime minister. Grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, a budget crisis and powerful Iranian-backed militias largely beyond his control, al-Kadhimi has accomplished little since taking office two years ago. His advisers argue that if only he were given more time, he could rein in the militias, cut corruption and arrest more killers of hundreds of unarmed protesters and activists. Most of Iraq’s paramilitary units were formed in 2014 in response to a call by the country’s most revered Shiite cleric for Iraqis to mobilize against the Islamic State group. Those militias were later absorbed into Iraq’s official security forces, but the most powerful are tied to Iran and only nominally under control of the Iraqi state. The United States has repeatedly blamed Iranian-backed militias for the persistent attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq. The U.S. and many Iraqi officials believe the militias are also responsible for most of the assassinations of activists and for a wide range of illegal moneymaking schemes. Monday’s announcement comes as the Pentagon nears the end of its withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, ending a 20-year presence there, even as the Taliban have captured dozens of districts around the country in a military offensive. After President Barack Obama withdrew troops from Iraq in 2011, some remained, under the authority of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Three years later, with Islamic State group fighters capturing territory across much of Iraq and Syria, the Iraqi government requested U.S. military support to help fight the terrorist group. Since the Islamic State group was driven from its last Iraqi stronghold in 2017, U.S. officials have consistently maintained that since there are currently no combat operations authorized in Iraq, there are no combat troops in the country. But they acknowledge a small number of U.S. Special Operations Forces serving as advisers, and trainers occasionally accompany Iraqi counterterrorism forces on combat missions against Islamic State group fighters. In Washington on Friday, Pentagon officials said they expected the troop levels in Iraq to remain at their current level of about 2,500 and that the role of some U.S. forces would be redefined. But while giving al-Kadhimi temporary political cover, a reclassification of U.S. forces rather than a drawdown likely will not satisfy the militias and political parties calling for a withdrawal of all troops, Iraqi officials say. “Changing their name from combat forces to trainers and advisers — we consider it as an attempt at deception,” said Mohammad al-Rubai’e, political spokesperson for Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the biggest Iranian-backed militias, which maintains 16 seats in the Iraqi parliament. Those militias and many Iraqi politicians linked to them contend that the real purpose of U.S. forces in Iraq is to counter Iran, not threats from the Islamic State group. Iran this year has carried out increasingly sophisticated attacks, including drone strikes, on U.S. targets in Iraq, and the United States has launched calibrated retaliatory strikes. “The dialogue with the United States is, how can we think about maintaining a presence that is useful without incurring a high political cost?” Thanassis Cambanis, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, a U.S. think tank, said during a visit to Iraq this week. “The interests of the two sides don’t really align because the United States isn’t going to see it in its interests to continue to be attacked by these militias that the government of Iraq can’t curtail.” Iran denies responsibility for the attacks, according to Iraqi officials, but its leaders have also made clear that they intend to retaliate against the United States for killing Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi deputy commander overseeing militias. The United States over the past year has increasingly focused on force protection, withdrawing from vulnerable bases in Iraq to consolidate its presence on three Iraqi military installations. While the Islamic State group is no longer able to capture territory, the group continues to launch destabilizing attacks such as bombings in markets that point out weaknesses in Iraqi security forces. “Within Iraq, ISIS is defeated as a significant military threat, but its radical ideology lives on,” said Mark Kimmitt, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and former State Department official who now consults for U.S. firms doing business in Iraq. “Deradicalization, however, is not part of the U.S. mission.” The U.S. occupation of Iraq convulsed the country, not only toppling its dictator in 2003 but also disbanding the army, hollowing out its government institutions and helping returned Iraqi exiles create a political system along sectarian and ethnic lines that haunts the nation to this day. For years that system has awarded government ministries to political parties that siphon off money meant for public services and has contributed to barely functioning hospitals, ongoing electricity cuts, millions of jobless Iraqis and a government that cannot pay its bills. Infrastructure such as electricity that barely functioned after more than a decade of US-led sanctions before the war has never been fully repaired. Battles against al-Qaida, Iraq’s civil war and the fight against the Islamic State group further damaged infrastructure. With falling oil prices last year, Iraq found itself having trouble meeting its huge government payroll, which has tripled since 2004 as political parties in charge of ministries create jobs for loyalists. “We are now talking about repairing damage from the ex-regime, al-Qaida, ISIS and the damage induced by the ruling political class,” said Luay al-Khatteeb, a technocrat former electricity minister. “If this chaos continues, it will lead to the destruction of the country.”

US to announce troop drawdown from Iraq, but little is expected to change

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has said his country no longer requires U.S. combat troops to fight the Islamic State group. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press on Friday Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said that Iraq will still ask for U.S. training and military intelligence gathering. He spoke ahead of a planned trip to Washington where he will meet U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday.

Iraq no longer requires U.S. combat troops to fight Islamic State group: Mustafa Al-Kadhimi

Iraq's interior ministry said on Sunday that Islamic militants suspected to be behindn last week's suicide bombing had planned more attacks during Eid festival. The ministry has released photos of five suspects who have been arrested. These include three brothers. As per the official toll, 30 people were killed in the blast responsibility for which was taken by Islamic State

Iraqi security forces have dismantled "two terrorist networks in the provinces of Anbar and Kirkuk responsible for the July 19 attack in Sadr City", a poor Shiite district of Baghdad.&nbsp;

"They were planning other attacks in other parts of Baghdad and other provinces during Eid," a ministry statement said.&nbsp;

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi announced Saturday the arrest of the "terror cell" behind the Baghdad market bombing.

Iraqi television broadcast overnight the "confessions" of the five, who were dressed in yellow prison suits, a common practice in major criminal cases in Iraq.

The attack sparked revulsion and renewed fears about the reach of IS, which lost its last territory in Iraq after a gruelling campaign that ended in late 2017, but retains sleeper cells in remote desert and mountain areas.

The bombing hit the Al-Woheilat market in Sadr City, where many families were crowded on the eve of the Eid al-Adha, the most important Muslim holiday.&nbsp;

The announcement of the dismantling of the cell came on the eve of Kadhemi's departure for Washington, where he was to meet US President Joe Biden on Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iraq's interior ministry said on Sunday that Islamic militants suspected to be behindn last week's suicide bombing had planned more attacks during Eid festival. The ministry has released photos of five suspects who have been arrested.

Iraq's interior ministry said on Sunday that Islamic militants suspected to be behindn last week's suicide bombing had planned more attacks during Eid festival. The ministry has released photos of five suspects who have been arrested. These include three brothers. As per the official toll, 30 people were killed in the blast responsibility for which was taken by Islamic State Iraqi security forces have dismantled "two terrorist networks in the provinces of Anbar and Kirkuk responsible for the July 19 attack in Sadr City", a poor Shiite district of Baghdad. "They were planning other attacks in other parts of Baghdad and other provinces during Eid," a ministry statement said. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi announced Saturday the arrest of the "terror cell" behind the Baghdad market bombing. Iraqi television broadcast overnight the "confessions" of the five, who were dressed in yellow prison suits, a common practice in major criminal cases in Iraq. The attack sparked revulsion and renewed fears about the reach of IS, which lost its last territory in Iraq after a gruelling campaign that ended in late 2017, but retains sleeper cells in remote desert and mountain areas. The bombing hit the Al-Woheilat market in Sadr City, where many families were crowded on the eve of the Eid al-Adha, the most important Muslim holiday. The announcement of the dismantling of the cell came on the eve of Kadhemi's departure for Washington, where he was to meet US President Joe Biden on Monday. (With inputs from agencies)

Militants planned another attack during Eid, says Iraq

Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi announced on Saturday that members of a 'terrorist cell' who are suspected of being behind Baghdad suicide bombing have been arrested. The blast had taken place five days ago and claimed over 30 lives.

"We have arrested all the members of the cowardly terrorist cell that planned and perpetrated the attack on Al-Woheilat market" in Sadr City, a Shiite suburb in the capital, "and they will be put before a judge today," Kadhemi said on Twitter.&nbsp;

The blast had taken place on the eve of Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The blast ripped through a crowded Baghdad market. The responsibility of the attack was claimed by the Islamic State.

The blast had sparked revulsion and renewed fears about the reach of the IS, which lost its last territory in Iraq after a gruelling campaign that ended in late 2017, but retains sleeper cells in remote desert and mountain areas.

The Sunni Muslim jihadists claimed on the Telegram messenger service that an IS suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt in the Woheilat market of northeast Baghdad's Shiite district of Sadr City that was busy with Eid shoppers.

In the panic and chaos of the attack, screams of terror and anguish filled the air. When the smoke cleared, human remains lay strewn amid scattered sandals, market produce and the charred debris of stalls.

(With inouts from agencies)

Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi announced on Saturday that members of a 'terrorist cell' who are suspected of being behind Baghdad suicide bombing have been arrested.

Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi announced on Saturday that members of a 'terrorist cell' who are suspected of being behind Baghdad suicide bombing have been arrested. The blast had taken place five days ago and claimed over 30 lives. "We have arrested all the members of the cowardly terrorist cell that planned and perpetrated the attack on Al-Woheilat market" in Sadr City, a Shiite suburb in the capital, "and they will be put before a judge today," Kadhemi said on Twitter. The blast had taken place on the eve of Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The blast ripped through a crowded Baghdad market. The responsibility of the attack was claimed by the Islamic State. The blast had sparked revulsion and renewed fears about the reach of the IS, which lost its last territory in Iraq after a gruelling campaign that ended in late 2017, but retains sleeper cells in remote desert and mountain areas. The Sunni Muslim jihadists claimed on the Telegram messenger service that an IS suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt in the Woheilat market of northeast Baghdad's Shiite district of Sadr City that was busy with Eid shoppers. In the panic and chaos of the attack, screams of terror and anguish filled the air. When the smoke cleared, human remains lay strewn amid scattered sandals, market produce and the charred debris of stalls. (With inouts from agencies)

Baghdad blast: Iraq PM says suspects arrested

A US military veteran is trekking 2000 miles (3219 km) US-Mexico border to draw attention to plight of veterans who were sent back to their country of birth. Ramon Castro, the veteran trekking along the border and meeting deported US veterans living along the US-Mexican border. As he met them he realised that but for a piece of paper proving his citizenship, he could have been one of them.

Castro says that even when former veterans are deported back due to infractions like drug use, a large number of the cases are associated with mental health issues.

Between 2013 and 2018, about 250 veterans were deported or placed in deportation proceedings, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Advocates say the total number of deported veterans may be far higher.

Although Castro was born in the United States, his family has sprawled across both sides of the desert borderlands for generations and he lived briefly in Mexico as a child, he told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday about 20 miles east of El Paso, Texas.

Castro served two enlistments in the Marine Corps, including a deployment to Kuwait during the Iraq war.

He says that after his discharge, memories of missiles hurtling at him lingered. Aas a coping mechanism, he said that he turned to alcohol and soon found himself in bar fights.

The behaviour never landed Castro in serious legal trouble - a privilege he knew his non-US-citizen fellow service members did not share.

Castro started his march at Friendship Park in San Ysidro, California, and plans to keep walking until he reaches the easternmost tip of the U.S.-Mexico border, near Brownsville, Texas.

A few days after Castro began the journey, the Biden administration announced a new initiative aimed at allowing some deported veterans to return to the United States.

(With inputs from agencies)

A US military veteran is trekking 2000 miles (3219 km) US-Mexico border to draw attention to plight of veterans who were sent back to their country of birth. Ramon Castro, the veteran trekking along the border and meeting deported US veterans living along the US-Mexican border.

A US military veteran is trekking 2000 miles (3219 km) US-Mexico border to draw attention to plight of veterans who were sent back to their country of birth. Ramon Castro, the veteran trekking along the border and meeting deported US veterans living along the US-Mexican border. As he met them he realised that but for a piece of paper proving his citizenship, he could have been one of them. Castro says that even when former veterans are deported back due to infractions like drug use, a large number of the cases are associated with mental health issues. Between 2013 and 2018, about 250 veterans were deported or placed in deportation proceedings, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Advocates say the total number of deported veterans may be far higher. Although Castro was born in the United States, his family has sprawled across both sides of the desert borderlands for generations and he lived briefly in Mexico as a child, he told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday about 20 miles east of El Paso, Texas. Castro served two enlistments in the Marine Corps, including a deployment to Kuwait during the Iraq war. He says that after his discharge, memories of missiles hurtling at him lingered. Aas a coping mechanism, he said that he turned to alcohol and soon found himself in bar fights. The behaviour never landed Castro in serious legal trouble - a privilege he knew his non-US-citizen fellow service members did not share. Castro started his march at Friendship Park in San Ysidro, California, and plans to keep walking until he reaches the easternmost tip of the U.S.-Mexico border, near Brownsville, Texas. A few days after Castro began the journey, the Biden administration announced a new initiative aimed at allowing some deported veterans to return to the United States. (With inputs from agencies)

Iraq war veteran walks US-Mexico border, protests deportation of veterans

US-led coalition in Iraq said on Saturday that a drone attack was carried out on military base hosting US troops. The base is located in Iraqi Kurdistan. There were no casualties.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi is expected to meet US President Joe Biden in Washington on Monday. They may discuss a possible full US troop pullout.

"An unmanned aerial system impacted a coalition base in Kurdistan" in the early hours of Friday, coalition spokesman US Colonel Wayne Marotto said in a statement.

"There were no casualties and no damage as a result of the attack," he said, adding "the United States and coalition forces will stay vigilant and maintain the inherent right to self-defence."

Iraqi Kurdish media outlets said the attack targeted a base at Al-Harir, 70 kilometres (45 miles) northeast of Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region.

The attack has been blamed on pro-Iranian armed groups. The attack is latest in a spate of attacks on US military and diplomatic facilities in Iraq.

(With inputs from agencies)

US-led coalition in Iraq said on Saturday that a drone attack was carried out on military base hosting US troops. The base is located in Iraqi Kurdistan. There were no casualties.

US-led coalition in Iraq said on Saturday that a drone attack was carried out on military base hosting US troops. The base is located in Iraqi Kurdistan. There were no casualties. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi is expected to meet US President Joe Biden in Washington on Monday. They may discuss a possible full US troop pullout. "An unmanned aerial system impacted a coalition base in Kurdistan" in the early hours of Friday, coalition spokesman US Colonel Wayne Marotto said in a statement. "There were no casualties and no damage as a result of the attack," he said, adding "the United States and coalition forces will stay vigilant and maintain the inherent right to self-defence." Iraqi Kurdish media outlets said the attack targeted a base at Al-Harir, 70 kilometres (45 miles) northeast of Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region. The attack has been blamed on pro-Iranian armed groups. The attack is latest in a spate of attacks on US military and diplomatic facilities in Iraq. (With inputs from agencies)

Drone attack on Iraqi base hosting US troops

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday met Iraq Foreign Minister Dr Fuad Hussein at State Department. The meet took place ahead of discussions on the role of the US military in Iraq.

The United States and Iraq are expected to formalize the end of Washington's combat mission in Iraq by the end of the year and continue the transition toward training and advising Iraqi forces, US officials said on Thursday.

Currently, there are 2500 troops in Iraq. They are largely focussing on countering remnantsb os Islamic State. The US has already moved towards the focus of training Iraqi forces.

President Joe Biden meets his Iraqi counterpart, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, in Washington next week.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday met Iraq Foreign Minister Dr Fuad Hussein at State Department. The meet took place ahead of discussions on the role of the US military in Iraq.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday met Iraq Foreign Minister Dr Fuad Hussein at State Department. The meet took place ahead of discussions on the role of the US military in Iraq. The United States and Iraq are expected to formalize the end of Washington's combat mission in Iraq by the end of the year and continue the transition toward training and advising Iraqi forces, US officials said on Thursday. Currently, there are 2500 troops in Iraq. They are largely focussing on countering remnantsb os Islamic State. The US has already moved towards the focus of training Iraqi forces. President Joe Biden meets his Iraqi counterpart, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, in Washington next week. (With inputs from agencies)

Blinken meets Iraq foreign minister in Washington

Senior officials from Baghdad were in Washington Thursday for preliminary talks on the US military presence in Iraq, ahead of an upcoming meeting between leaders of the two countries, the Pentagon said in a statement.

US President Joe Biden is set to host Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi at the White House on Monday, and Kadhemi is expected to push for a concrete timetable of foreign troop withdrawal.

On Thursday Mara Karlin, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, hosted Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem al-Araji and a military delegation, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

Both sides "reaffirmed the importance of the US-Iraq bilateral security relationship" as well as "the long-term US-Iraq security cooperation partnership and areas for cooperation beyond counterterrorism."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-carries-out-air-strikes-against-iran-backed-militia-in-iraq-syria-394352">Also read |&nbsp;US carries out air strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq, Syria&nbsp;</a>

Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin joined the group to reaffirm his support for "the US-Iraq strategic partnership."

Talks are set to resume on Friday.

Some 3,500 foreign troops are in Iraqi territory, including 2,500 Americans, who have been posted to help fight the Islamic State group since 2014.

The implementation of their withdrawal could take years.

Iraq, long an arena for bitter rivalry between the United States and Iran despite their shared enmity towards the IS, has seen growing numbers of rocket and drone attacks on US targets in recent months.

Last week Iraq's leader met with visiting US envoy Brett McGurk in Baghdad to discuss foreign troop withdrawal, his office in statement.

Senior officials from Baghdad were in Washington Thursday for preliminary talks on the US military presence in Iraq, ahead of an upcoming meeting between leaders of the two countries, the Pentagon said in a statement.

Senior officials from Baghdad were in Washington Thursday for preliminary talks on the US military presence in Iraq, ahead of an upcoming meeting between leaders of the two countries, the Pentagon said in a statement. US President Joe Biden is set to host Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi at the White House on Monday, and Kadhemi is expected to push for a concrete timetable of foreign troop withdrawal. On Thursday Mara Karlin, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, hosted Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem al-Araji and a military delegation, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. Both sides "reaffirmed the importance of the US-Iraq bilateral security relationship" as well as "the long-term US-Iraq security cooperation partnership and areas for cooperation beyond counterterrorism." Also read | US carries out air strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq, Syria Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin joined the group to reaffirm his support for "the US-Iraq strategic partnership." Talks are set to resume on Friday. Some 3,500 foreign troops are in Iraqi territory, including 2,500 Americans, who have been posted to help fight the Islamic State group since 2014. The implementation of their withdrawal could take years. Iraq, long an arena for bitter rivalry between the United States and Iran despite their shared enmity towards the IS, has seen growing numbers of rocket and drone attacks on US targets in recent months. Last week Iraq's leader met with visiting US envoy Brett McGurk in Baghdad to discuss foreign troop withdrawal, his office in statement.

Iraqi officials discuss US military presence on Washington visit

A suicide bomber killed at least 35 people and wounded dozens in a crowded market in the Sadr City neighbourhood of Baghdad on Monday, the eve of the Eid al-Adha festival, security and hospital sources said. 
 
More than 60 people were wounded, a police source said. 
 
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's Nasheer news agency said on Telegram. It said one of its militants blew up his explosive vest among the crowds. 
 
Hospital sources said the death toll could rise as some of the wounded were in critical condition. 
 
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi held an urgent meeting with top security commanders to discuss the attack, the premier's office said in a brief statement. 
 
President Barham Salih posted a tweet saying: "With an awful crime they target civilians in Sadr city on the eve of Eid ... We will not rest before terrorism is cut off by its roots." 
 
In April, the Sunni Muslim militant group Islamic State claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack on a market in Sadr City, Baghdad's main Shi'ite Muslim neighbourhood, that killed four people and wounded 20. 
 
Islamic State also claimed responsibility for a bomb attack last January that killed more than 30 in the crowded Tayaran Square market in central Baghdad - Iraq's first big suicide bombing for three years. 
 
Large bomb attacks were once an almost daily occurrence in the Iraqi capital but have dwindled since an Islamic State invasion of northern and western Iraq was defeated in 2017.

A suicide bomber killed at least 35 people and wounded dozens in a crowded market in the Sadr City neighbourhood of Baghdad on Monday, the eve of the Eid al-Adha festival, security and hospital sources said.

A suicide bomber killed at least 35 people and wounded dozens in a crowded market in the Sadr City neighbourhood of Baghdad on Monday, the eve of the Eid al-Adha festival, security and hospital sources said. More than 60 people were wounded, a police source said. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's Nasheer news agency said on Telegram. It said one of its militants blew up his explosive vest among the crowds. Hospital sources said the death toll could rise as some of the wounded were in critical condition. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi held an urgent meeting with top security commanders to discuss the attack, the premier's office said in a brief statement. President Barham Salih posted a tweet saying: "With an awful crime they target civilians in Sadr city on the eve of Eid ... We will not rest before terrorism is cut off by its roots." In April, the Sunni Muslim militant group Islamic State claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack on a market in Sadr City, Baghdad's main Shi'ite Muslim neighbourhood, that killed four people and wounded 20. Islamic State also claimed responsibility for a bomb attack last January that killed more than 30 in the crowded Tayaran Square market in central Baghdad - Iraq's first big suicide bombing for three years. Large bomb attacks were once an almost daily occurrence in the Iraqi capital but have dwindled since an Islamic State invasion of northern and western Iraq was defeated in 2017.

Suicide attack in Iraq's Sadr City kills at least 35, wounds dozens: Sources

At least 35 people have been killed and 50 wounded in a bomb attack on a busy market in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying one of its members detonated an explosive vest.

Iraq: At least 35 people killed, 50 wounded in Baghdad market blast

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden will host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House on July 26, the White House said on Friday. 
 
The visit will highlight the strategic partnership between the two countries and advance bilateral cooperation under a 2008 agreement that governed the withdrawal of US&nbsp;troops from Iraq, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. 
 
Psaki listed areas of shared interest, such as energy and health and said Biden looked forward to strengthening cooperation with Iraq on "security issues to include joint efforts to ensure the enduring defeat" of the Islamic State militant group. 
 
Psaki made no reference to Iran, which exercises influence in neighboring Iraq through its close relations with the Baghdad government and by backing Shi'ite militia forces that mount attacks on military facilities hosting US&nbsp;forces. 
 
A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander urged Iraqi Shi'ite militias to step up attacks on US&nbsp;targets during a meeting in Baghdad last week, three militia sources and two Iraqi security sources familiar with the gathering said.

US President Joe Biden will host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House on July 26, the White House said on Friday. The visit will highlight the strategic partnership between the two countries and advance bilateral cooperation under a 2008 agreement that governed the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

US President Joe Biden will host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House on July 26, the White House said on Friday. The visit will highlight the strategic partnership between the two countries and advance bilateral cooperation under a 2008 agreement that governed the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. Psaki listed areas of shared interest, such as energy and health and said Biden looked forward to strengthening cooperation with Iraq on "security issues to include joint efforts to ensure the enduring defeat" of the Islamic State militant group. Psaki made no reference to Iran, which exercises influence in neighboring Iraq through its close relations with the Baghdad government and by backing Shi'ite militia forces that mount attacks on military facilities hosting US forces. A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander urged Iraqi Shi'ite militias to step up attacks on US targets during a meeting in Baghdad last week, three militia sources and two Iraqi security sources familiar with the gathering said.

Biden to host Iraq's prime minister at White House on July 26

At least 52 people died and 22 have been wounded when a massive fire engulfed the coronavirus isolation ward of the Al-Hussein hospital in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. The fire broke has been brought under control by local civil defence forces.

Iraq: 52 dead, 22 injured in a massive fire at Al-Hussein hospital in Nasiriyah

Fire in Iraq hospital's COVID-19 unit kills 64

The speed of Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan has stunned many, however, it's been four years since Washington gave up on forever wars and turned its attention to the traditional great power rivalries with China and Russia.

It was Biden's predecessor Donald Trump, who came to office in 2017, with promises of quitting Afghanistan, calling the war there a "mess" and a "waste."

The 9/11 attacks shook up the US security establishment, forcing the government into launching a "War on Terror."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-do-not-trust-the-taliban-biden-declares-august-31-as-final-date-to-end-us-military-mission-in-afghanistan-396836">'I do not trust the Taliban': Biden declares August 31 as final date to end US military mission in Afghanistan</a>

Since then US security establishment has been occupied with combating stateless terror groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which has cost the country trillions of dollars in expenditures.

Conflicts in both Afghanistan and Iraq have been characterized by almost endless troop deployments, perpetually high levels of violence, and an inability to end the conflict, defeat the enemy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

How did the endless war start?

Following the 9/11 attacks, the US and NATO allies invaded Afghanistan, with one aim; to get rid of Al-Qaeda's protectors, the Taliban government.&nbsp;

The then&nbsp;George W. Bush&nbsp;took advantage of that, to invade Iraq as well, hoping to topple Saddam Hussein and snuff out a wider threat in the middle east.

Both the attacks proved to be large successes, Al-Qaeda stood weakened, and on the run, Saddam unseated and captured in Iraq.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-wideangle-afghan-women-whats-next-397164/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, even after these initial successes, the troops had to stay on the ground. Thousands stood deployed in the two countries, hoping to rebuild them,&nbsp;

The initial assaults largely succeeded quickly, with Al-Qaeda fractured and on the run in Afghanistan, and Saddam taken down and captured in Iraq.

But in both cases, the United States and its allies remained on the ground, hoping to rebuild each country, and unable to withdraw with the risk of a return to the pre-9/11 situation hanging in the air.&nbsp;

The end of 'Forever wars'

As of 2020, Trump had overcome resistance and established the groundwork for removing the troops, leaving only 2,500 troops in each country.&nbsp;

Then came Biden. The new President accepted his predecessor's trajectory and promised that the withdrawal will be concluded by August 31, stating that rather than sacrificing another generation of Americans in an unwinnable conflict, the Afghan people must decide their own future.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-achieved-its-goals-afghans-must-decide-own-future-president-joe-biden-396867">US achieved its goals, Afghans must decide own future: President Joe Biden</a>

What changed in the 20 years?

After Xi Jinping's aggressive military expansion, US security leaders began rethinking their views in 2013.

To counter and surpass US military power, China has started building armed bases around the world, including one in Djibouti and several in Asia and the Middle East.

Meanwhile, in 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine's Crimea and backed insurgents in eastern Ukraine. Two years later Moscow waged a campaign to influence the US presidential election.

At the same time, Kim Jong Un in North Korea was embarking on the quest to create nuclear weapons capable of threatening the United States.&nbsp;

A pivot was confirmed by Trump's 2017 National Security Strategy and carried forward by Biden.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/staring-at-civil-war-how-bad-is-the-situation-in-afghanistan-397134">Staring at civil war: How bad is the situation in Afghanistan?</a>

"China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity," it said.&nbsp;

"They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence."

In the Pentagon's view, counterterrorism doesn't end when the US pulls out of Afghanistan. Although it is turning more toward remote-directed attacks, using air and missile strikes from ships and bases in Afghanistan where Al-Qaeda still operates.

According to Biden, the US is just revising its counterterrorism posture and repositioning resources to meet the threats where they are now.

(With inputs from agencies)

The speed of Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan has stunned many, however, it's been four years since Washington gave up on forever wars and turned its attention to the traditional great power rivalries with China and Russia.

The speed of Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan has stunned many, however, it's been four years since Washington gave up on forever wars and turned its attention to the traditional great power rivalries with China and Russia. It was Biden's predecessor Donald Trump, who came to office in 2017, with promises of quitting Afghanistan, calling the war there a "mess" and a "waste." The 9/11 attacks shook up the US security establishment, forcing the government into launching a "War on Terror." Also read | 'I do not trust the Taliban': Biden declares August 31 as final date to end US military mission in Afghanistan Since then US security establishment has been occupied with combating stateless terror groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which has cost the country trillions of dollars in expenditures. Conflicts in both Afghanistan and Iraq have been characterized by almost endless troop deployments, perpetually high levels of violence, and an inability to end the conflict, defeat the enemy. How did the endless war start? Following the 9/11 attacks, the US and NATO allies invaded Afghanistan, with one aim; to get rid of Al-Qaeda's protectors, the Taliban government. The then George W. Bush took advantage of that, to invade Iraq as well, hoping to topple Saddam Hussein and snuff out a wider threat in the middle east. Both the attacks proved to be large successes, Al-Qaeda stood weakened, and on the run, Saddam unseated and captured in Iraq. However, even after these initial successes, the troops had to stay on the ground. Thousands stood deployed in the two countries, hoping to rebuild them, The initial assaults largely succeeded quickly, with Al-Qaeda fractured and on the run in Afghanistan, and Saddam taken down and captured in Iraq. But in both cases, the United States and its allies remained on the ground, hoping to rebuild each country, and unable to withdraw with the risk of a return to the pre-9/11 situation hanging in the air. The end of 'Forever wars' As of 2020, Trump had overcome resistance and established the groundwork for removing the troops, leaving only 2,500 troops in each country. Then came Biden. The new President accepted his predecessor's trajectory and promised that the withdrawal will be concluded by August 31, stating that rather than sacrificing another generation of Americans in an unwinnable conflict, the Afghan people must decide their own future. Also read | US achieved its goals, Afghans must decide own future: President Joe Biden What changed in the 20 years? After Xi Jinping's aggressive military expansion, US security leaders began rethinking their views in 2013. To counter and surpass US military power, China has started building armed bases around the world, including one in Djibouti and several in Asia and the Middle East. Meanwhile, in 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine's Crimea and backed insurgents in eastern Ukraine. Two years later Moscow waged a campaign to influence the US presidential election. At the same time, Kim Jong Un in North Korea was embarking on the quest to create nuclear weapons capable of threatening the United States. A pivot was confirmed by Trump's 2017 National Security Strategy and carried forward by Biden. Also read | Staring at civil war: How bad is the situation in Afghanistan? "China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity," it said. "They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence." In the Pentagon's view, counterterrorism doesn't end when the US pulls out of Afghanistan. Although it is turning more toward remote-directed attacks, using air and missile strikes from ships and bases in Afghanistan where Al-Qaeda still operates. According to Biden, the US is just revising its counterterrorism posture and repositioning resources to meet the threats where they are now. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan pullout: An end to US 'forever wars'?

Anger is palpable on Iraqi streets as people protest power cuts amid temperatures rising above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).

The oil-rich city of Basra saw angry protests by the people last week. The protesters burnt tyres and blocked highways.

Power outages have often led to violent protests in Iraq, especially in the southern part of the country

The latest crisis has seen those with the means hooking up fridges, air conditioning units and fans to private generators. But same cannot be said about impoverished masses.&nbsp;

Four southern provinces have been without electricity since Tuesday, including Basra -- home to Iraq's main port.

Sizzling temperatures have been compounded by high levels of humidity.

"The children sleep right on the floor to try and stay cool, but us, the adults, haven't slept a wink these past nights," Meshaal Hashem, a Basra docker and father of three, told AFP.

In the city of Diwaniyah, Rahi Abdelhussein buys bags of ice to cool down his children, saying it helps hydrate them.

Shops have placed hoses and makeshift showers outdoors to attract customers to stop.

Blame game&nbsp;

Anger has mounted among Iraq's 40-million population, with corrupt politicians at the centre of a blame game for its poor services and dilapidated infrastructure.

"The electricity ministry is blaming the oil ministry which is blaming the finance ministry, and the finance ministry says the culprit is Iran, but Iran says it's the Iraqi government's fault, and the government lays the blame on the people who accuse politicians of shortcomings," Iraqi political analyst Sajad Jiyad tweeted.

"The politicians just shrug and say, 'We've got to live with it.'"

Power outages in sweltering summer heat are often a common thing in Iraq. But the current crisis has other factors as reason as well.

Iraq is the second-largest producer of oil in the OPEC group. It buy gas and power from Iran to supply about a third of its power sector, dilapidated by decades of conflict and poor maintenance.

However, Iran on Tuesday decided to cut supplies to its neighbour saying that Iraq owes more than USD 6 billion in arrears.

Iraq says it is unable to pay because of US sanctions on money transfers to Iran, a deep financial crisis compounded by lower oil prices, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies)

Anger is palpable on Iraqi streets as people protest power cuts amid temperatures rising above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). The oil-rich city of Basra saw angry protests by the people last week.

Anger is palpable on Iraqi streets as people protest power cuts amid temperatures rising above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). The oil-rich city of Basra saw angry protests by the people last week. The protesters burnt tyres and blocked highways. Power outages have often led to violent protests in Iraq, especially in the southern part of the country The latest crisis has seen those with the means hooking up fridges, air conditioning units and fans to private generators. But same cannot be said about impoverished masses. Four southern provinces have been without electricity since Tuesday, including Basra -- home to Iraq's main port. Sizzling temperatures have been compounded by high levels of humidity. "The children sleep right on the floor to try and stay cool, but us, the adults, haven't slept a wink these past nights," Meshaal Hashem, a Basra docker and father of three, told AFP. In the city of Diwaniyah, Rahi Abdelhussein buys bags of ice to cool down his children, saying it helps hydrate them. Shops have placed hoses and makeshift showers outdoors to attract customers to stop. Blame game Anger has mounted among Iraq's 40-million population, with corrupt politicians at the centre of a blame game for its poor services and dilapidated infrastructure. "The electricity ministry is blaming the oil ministry which is blaming the finance ministry, and the finance ministry says the culprit is Iran, but Iran says it's the Iraqi government's fault, and the government lays the blame on the people who accuse politicians of shortcomings," Iraqi political analyst Sajad Jiyad tweeted. "The politicians just shrug and say, 'We've got to live with it.'" Power outages in sweltering summer heat are often a common thing in Iraq. But the current crisis has other factors as reason as well. Iraq is the second-largest producer of oil in the OPEC group. It buy gas and power from Iran to supply about a third of its power sector, dilapidated by decades of conflict and poor maintenance. However, Iran on Tuesday decided to cut supplies to its neighbour saying that Iraq owes more than USD 6 billion in arrears. Iraq says it is unable to pay because of US sanctions on money transfers to Iran, a deep financial crisis compounded by lower oil prices, and the Covid-19 pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

Iraqis protest power outage amid 50+ degrees Celsius heat

A drone attacked Erbil airport in northern Iraq with explosives on Tuesday, aimed at the US&nbsp;base on the airport grounds, Kurdish security sources told Reuters. 
 
Sirens were blaring from the US&nbsp;consulate in the city, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, the sources said. 
 
Flights were suspended following the attacks, they said. 
 
In a statement, the Pentagon said it was aware of reports about a drone attack, but initial information did not indicate structural damage, or injuries or casualties. 
 
The attack comes one day after rockets and a drone targeted Ain al-Asad air base, which houses US&nbsp;troops and the US&nbsp;embassy in Baghdad, on Monday. 
 
In April, a drone dropped explosives near the US&nbsp;forces stationed at Erbil airport. It was then the first known attack carried out by an unmanned aerial drone against US&nbsp;forces in Erbil, amid a steady stream of rocket attacks on bases hosting US&nbsp;forces and the embassy in Baghdad that Washington blames on Iran-backed militias. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A drone attacked Erbil airport in northern Iraq with explosives on Tuesday, aimed at the US base on the airport grounds, Kurdish security sources told Reuters. Sirens were blaring from the US consulate in the city, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, the sources said.

A drone attacked Erbil airport in northern Iraq with explosives on Tuesday, aimed at the US base on the airport grounds, Kurdish security sources told Reuters. Sirens were blaring from the US consulate in the city, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, the sources said. Flights were suspended following the attacks, they said. In a statement, the Pentagon said it was aware of reports about a drone attack, but initial information did not indicate structural damage, or injuries or casualties. The attack comes one day after rockets and a drone targeted Ain al-Asad air base, which houses US troops and the US embassy in Baghdad, on Monday. In April, a drone dropped explosives near the US forces stationed at Erbil airport. It was then the first known attack carried out by an unmanned aerial drone against US forces in Erbil, amid a steady stream of rocket attacks on bases hosting US forces and the embassy in Baghdad that Washington blames on Iran-backed militias. (With inputs from agencies)

Explosive-laden drone hit Erbil airport in Iraq, aimed at US base: Report

Three rockets targetted Iraq airbase that hosts US soldiers on Monday, said a spokesman for US-led coalition in Iraq. There have been no casualties.

Colonel Wayne Marotto, a spokesman for the international coalition in Iraq, said on Twitter that the Ain al-Assad base "was attacked by three rockets" in the early afternoon. He said in his tweet that the damage was being assessed.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Initial report: At approx. 2:45 PM local time, Ain Al-Assad Air Base was attacked by three rockets. The rockets landed on the base perimeter. There are no injuries and damage is being assessed. For more information see <a href="https://twitter.com/SecMedCell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecMedCell</a>
— OIR Spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto (@OIRSpox) <a href="https://twitter.com/OIRSpox/status/1412027260681523202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The attack took place on Ain al-Assad facility situated in western province of Anbar. This attack is latest in the list of attacks against US interest in Iraq.

US forces, whose 2,500 troops are deployed in Iraq as part of an international coalition to fight the jihadist Islamic State group, have been targeted more than 40 times this year.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack immediately.

Monday's attack has come a week after deadly US airstrike against pro-Iran fighters in Iraq and Syria.

Pentagon said that the airstrikes were carried out as a retaliation for attacks against US interests. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared they sent a "strong message" not to keep attacking American forces. &nbsp;

The Hashed-al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary alliance that includes several Iranian proxies and has become the main power broker in Baghdad, said the raids killed four of its fighters in the Qaim region near the border with Syria.

The June 27-28 overnight strikes targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one in Iraq, the Pentagon said.

Hours later, pro-Iran militias fired several shells at an American base in eastern Syria.

Iran-aligned groups operate in Iraq, which counts both Tehran and Washington as allies, and in war-torn Syria, where Iran is a key backer of the Damascus regime.

(With inputs from agencies)

Three rockets targetted Iraq airbase that hosts US soldiers on Monday, said a spokesman for US-led coalition in Iraq. There have been no casualties. Colonel Wayne Marotto, a spokesman for the international coalition in Iraq, said on Twitter that the Ain al-Assad base "was attacked by three rockets" in the early afternoon.

Three rockets targetted Iraq airbase that hosts US soldiers on Monday, said a spokesman for US-led coalition in Iraq. There have been no casualties. Colonel Wayne Marotto, a spokesman for the international coalition in Iraq, said on Twitter that the Ain al-Assad base "was attacked by three rockets" in the early afternoon. He said in his tweet that the damage was being assessed. Initial report: At approx. 2:45 PM local time, Ain Al-Assad Air Base was attacked by three rockets. The rockets landed on the base perimeter. There are no injuries and damage is being assessed. For more information see @SecMedCell — OIR Spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto (@OIRSpox) July 5, 2021 × The attack took place on Ain al-Assad facility situated in western province of Anbar. This attack is latest in the list of attacks against US interest in Iraq. US forces, whose 2,500 troops are deployed in Iraq as part of an international coalition to fight the jihadist Islamic State group, have been targeted more than 40 times this year. No group claimed responsibility for the attack immediately. Monday's attack has come a week after deadly US airstrike against pro-Iran fighters in Iraq and Syria. Pentagon said that the airstrikes were carried out as a retaliation for attacks against US interests. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared they sent a "strong message" not to keep attacking American forces. The Hashed-al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary alliance that includes several Iranian proxies and has become the main power broker in Baghdad, said the raids killed four of its fighters in the Qaim region near the border with Syria. The June 27-28 overnight strikes targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one in Iraq, the Pentagon said. Hours later, pro-Iran militias fired several shells at an American base in eastern Syria. Iran-aligned groups operate in Iraq, which counts both Tehran and Washington as allies, and in war-torn Syria, where Iran is a key backer of the Damascus regime. (With inputs from agencies)

Rockets fired at Iraqi base hosting US troops: Coalition

Iran denied on Saturday US&nbsp;accusations that Tehran supported attacks on US&nbsp;forces in Iraq and Syria, and condemned US&nbsp;airstrikes on Iranian-backed militants there, state media reported. 
 
On Tuesday, the United States told the UN&nbsp;Security Council that it targeted Iran-backed militia in Syria and Iraq with airstrikes to deter the militants and Tehran from conducting or supporting further attacks on US&nbsp;personnel or facilities. 
 
But Iran's UN&nbsp;envoy, Majid Takht Ravanchi, said: "Any claim to attribute to Iran... any attack carried out against American personnel or facilities in Iraq is factually wrong and void of the minimum requirements of authenticity and reliability," according to the official news agency IRNA. 
 
Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the 15-member Security Council must immediately be informed of any action that states take in self-defence against armed attack. 
 
Washington told the United Nations that the airstrikes hit facilities used by militia blamed for an escalating series of drone and rocket attacks against US&nbsp;forces in Iraq. 
 
But Ravanchi said: "The US&nbsp;argument that such attacks were conducted to deter ...Iran and the so-called Iran-backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further attacks..., has no factual or legal ground, as it is founded on mere fabrication as well as arbitrary interpretation of Article 51." 
 
"The attacks by the United States are conducted in flagrant violation of international law," Ravanchi said in a letter, quoted by IRNA. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Iran denied on Saturday US accusations that Tehran supported attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria, and condemned US airstrikes on Iranian-backed militants there, state media reported.

Iran denied on Saturday US accusations that Tehran supported attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria, and condemned US airstrikes on Iranian-backed militants there, state media reported. On Tuesday, the United States told the UN Security Council that it targeted Iran-backed militia in Syria and Iraq with airstrikes to deter the militants and Tehran from conducting or supporting further attacks on US personnel or facilities. But Iran's UN envoy, Majid Takht Ravanchi, said: "Any claim to attribute to Iran... any attack carried out against American personnel or facilities in Iraq is factually wrong and void of the minimum requirements of authenticity and reliability," according to the official news agency IRNA. Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the 15-member Security Council must immediately be informed of any action that states take in self-defence against armed attack. Washington told the United Nations that the airstrikes hit facilities used by militia blamed for an escalating series of drone and rocket attacks against US forces in Iraq. But Ravanchi said: "The US argument that such attacks were conducted to deter ...Iran and the so-called Iran-backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further attacks..., has no factual or legal ground, as it is founded on mere fabrication as well as arbitrary interpretation of Article 51." "The attacks by the United States are conducted in flagrant violation of international law," Ravanchi said in a letter, quoted by IRNA. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran denies links to attacks on US forces in Iraq, Syria

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