The Pentagon said on Monday it does not currently plan to withdraw its nearly 2,500 troops from Iraq.
This comes despite Baghdad’s announcement last week that it had begun an operation aimed at ending the mission of the U.S.-led international military coalition in the country.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said at a press briefing: “Right now I have no knowledge of any plans (to plan to withdraw). We continue to focus heavily on the mission of defeating ISIS.”
He added that US troops are in Iraq at the invitation of the government there.
Ryder said he was also not aware of any notification from Baghdad to the Defense Department about a decision to withdraw U.S. troops.