U.S. denies it is withdrawing troops from Iraq

WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (MENA) – The U.S. has made no decision about withdrawing troops from Iraq, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday in response to a letter from a senior military officer that appeared to suggest a withdrawal was underway.

The U.S. is not pulling troops out of Iraq, Esper told reporters.

He was quoted by Euronews as saying that he didn't know anything about a letter that appears to suggest some preparation of troops to move out of Iraq. But he said there has been some repositioning of U.S. forces.

“There's been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq,'' he said. “There's no decision to leave, nor did we issue any plans to leave or prepare to leave.”

He said the U.S. remains committed to the campaign to defeat the Daesh, also known as the ISIS, group in Iraq and the region.