The United States will draw down its forces in Iraq

U.S. President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials say the United States is planning to reduce its troop presence in Iraq.

Trump said on Twitter Saturday that the United States “plans to reduce” its military presence in Iraq, but gave no further details.

There was a link to an article on the president’s Twitter feed. The article said U.S. forces in the region would be reduced from 5,200 to 3,500, a number first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

U.S. military officials also confirmed the planned reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq.

Pentagon spokeswoman Jessica L.McNulty said, “We are reducing our troop numbers as Iraq improves its ability to defeat the remnants of ISIL and prevent its resurgence.”

“Any reductions in U.S. forces in Iraq will be determined in careful coordination with the Iraqi government and our coalition and NATO partners, and will be tailored to our shared security interests and progress in the fight against ISIL,” McNulty said in a statement to VOA.

Iraqi officials have not announced any troop reductions.

Earlier this year, the United States and Iraq discussed the future of U.S. forces in Iraq. The issue was also discussed last week during a visit to the White House by Iraqi Prime Minister Khaled Kadhimi.