The US reduction of troops in Iraq has been completed days before President Donald Trump leaves office.
There are now 2,500 US service members in Iraq and 2,500 in Afghanistan.
It is the lowest number of personnel in Afghanistan since military operations began in 2001.
“The drawdown of US force levels in Iraq is reflective of the increased capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces,” acting Defence Secretary, Christopher Miller, said on Friday.
"We have long anticipated that the force level required to support Iraq’s fight against ISIS would decrease as Iraq’s capability to manage the threat from ISIS improves."
In November, Mr Trump ordered commanders to cut troop levels in Iraq to 2,500 from about 3,000.
Mr Miller said the reduction did not signify a change in Washington’s policy and is part of a plan to decrease US involvement in large operations across Iraq.
“US and Coalition forces remain in Iraq to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS,” he said.
“The government of Iraq and the US government agree that ISIS remains a threat and that a US and Coalition presence remains vital.”
Washington will maintain “a counter-terrorism platform in Iraq to support partner forces with air power and intelligence".
Since the US-led invasion in 2003, almost 4,500 American troops have been killed and more than 32,000 injured, according to the Pentagon.
“The Iraqi people desire a secure, stable, and prosperous Iraq, able to defend itself against violent extremist groups and against those who would undermine Iraq’s security,” he said.
Mr Miller said Washington was committed to supporting those objectives.
The presence of American forces has been contested by Iraqi politicians.
The US and Iran came close to war after rocket attacks on Iraqi bases hosting American forces and US air strikes against militia groups, including one that killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani and top Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis on January 3, 2020, in Baghdad.
After the attack the Iraqi Parliament voted to remove all foreign troops from the country.
But some Kurdish and Sunni politicians said the expulsion of troops could leave Iraq vulnerable to an insurgency, undermine security and further empower the country's Iran-backed militias.
In Aghanistan, at a high point in 2011 there were 98,000 troops, the Pentagon said.
"Today, the United States is closer than ever to ending nearly two decades of war and welcoming in an Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace process to achieve a political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire," Mr Miller said.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
On racial profiling at airports
Itcan profile
Founders: Mansour Althani and Abdullah Althani
Based: Business Bay, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India
Sector: Technology, digital marketing and e-commerce
Size: 70 employees
Revenue: On track to make Dh100 million in revenue this year since its 2015 launch
Funding: Self-funded to date
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
