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US vows to reduce troops from Iraq in coming months

US vows to reduce troops from Iraq in coming months

US troops in Afghanistan

The United States on Thursday vowed that in the coming months it would withdraw troops from Iraq.

"The two countries recognized that in light of significant progress towards eliminating the ISIS threat, over the coming months the US would continue reducing forces from Iraq," a joint statement said.

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The statement further said that Washington does not intend to establish "permanent bases or a permanent military presence in Iraq."

Iraq, on its part, committed to protecting bases housing US troops after several rocket attacks blamed on pro-Iranian paramilitary groups.

Earlier, David Schenker, the top US diplomat in the Arab denied any talks of troop withdrawal in the initial talks and added that Iraq promised of protecting US diplomatic and military facilities.

The announcement comes after both the countries on Thursday held their first strategic dialogue in more than a decade, months after Iraqi lawmakers pushed for the removal of US forces from the region in the wake of a US drone strike which killed top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

The killing of Soleimani, a much-revered commander both in Iran and Iraq, worsened relations between Iran and the US.