Iraqi military denies deployment of U.S. troops in Mosul
U.S. Army soldiers stand next to a guided-missile launcher, a few miles from the frontline, in the village of Abu Ghaddur, east of Tal Afar, Iraq. AP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi military denied on Saturday media reports that U.S. troops were deployed in Mosul instead of pro-government troops of al-Hashd al-Shaabi and police forces.
The Security Media Center said in a statement that the reports circulated on social media on that score are “untrue and aim to attract a wide range of readers in order to gain fame.”
It also urged all media outlets to seek accuracy and objectivity before publishing any news of such a kind, advising them to contact bodies concerned so as to avoid arousing anger among citizens.
Last year, an international coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Iraq stressed that the enduring U.S. military presence in Iraq will be conditions-based and “proportional to the need and in coordination with the government of Iraq.”
The announcement was made after the Arab country declared victory over Islamic State in December 2017 with the help of a US-led alliance, having retaken all the territory captured by the extremists in 2014 and 2015.
Despite the group’s defeat across Iraqi territories, isolated Islamic State cells remain active in some parts of the country. In recent weeks, suspected Islamic State insurgents have carried out several attacks targeting security forces.