U.S. troops reinforce deployment without clear reasons in west of Anbar: Source
U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq
Speaking to Almaalomah website, the source said, “U.S. troops enhanced its presence in regions of Suddet Haditha, Fousfat al-Qaim, Ain al-Assad airbase and near the border regions with Syria in west of Anbar.”
Those regions, according to the source, “witnessed ongoing increase of troops, unlike the situation before, as preliminary estimates show that more than 11,000 soldiers and advisers deployed there and moving freely.”
The number of personnel is growing, “despite end of military operations and declaring victory against Islamic State,” the source said, adding that the reasons behind this are not clear.
A security expert was quoted, last week, as saying that Washington seeks increasing the number of military bases from nine to 12 bases. This came after the U.S.-led Coalition said U.S. forces will remain in Iraq, so long as there is a need for that, which is contrary to the U.S. promises to withdraw from Iraq after Islamic State was defeated.
Last month, a senior Iraqi army officer said Iraq started expanding Ain al-Assad airbase in Anbar province and that the expansion is likely to receive more U.S. troops.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced, in December, gaining control on all the territories that were captured by Islamic State, since 2014. However, the group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.