TEHRAN, Aug. 23 (MNA) – The Iraqi resistance groups say that the partial US withdrawal from Ain al-Asas airbase is not assuring.
The Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee stressed in a statement that “the fingers of the resistance forces have still kept their figngers on the trigger to defend Iraq and its people,” a prominent source in one of the resistance groups announced to Al-Akhbar, adding that the resistance “has clearly informed the government that it will not lay down its weapons, especially after the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the “Greater Israel” project, which also includes Iraq as part of this project.
US forces have begun the actual withdrawal from the Ain al-Asad base in Anbar province, western Iraq, in a move described as the first of its kind in years, newbintjbeil.org reported.
The transfer included personnel and equipment to bases in northern Iraq and Syria.
According to Iraqi security sources, the base is expected to be permanently closed by mid-September, with the US presence limited to fewer than 500 troops in Erbil.
With the announcement of its imminent closure, attention is turning to the repercussions of this move on internal balances, amid fears that the withdrawal will become an additional factor complicating the political and security landscape in Iraq, despite it coming within the framework of a previous agreement between Baghdad and Washington to end the combat missions of the international coalition.
The Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee confirmed in the statement on Thursday that the Coordination Framework called on Parliament and the government to assume their responsibilities by obligating US forces to a real and complete withdrawal, ensuring Iraq’s full sovereignty.
A prominent source in one of the resistance factions revealed to Al-Akhbar that the resistance “clearly informed the government that it will not give up its weapons, especially after (Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the Greater Israel project, which makes Iraq part of this project.”
He added that “the government sees the matter as political, but we see it as national, and we have bitter experiences with the occupation.”
Commenting on these developments, Ali al-Moussawi, a leader in the Coordination Framework, told Al-Akhbar that the US withdrawal from Ain al-Assad, while appearing to be a step towards ending the military presence, does not mean that Washington will abandon its influence in Iraq. He believes the timing is extremely sensitive, as it coincides with the approaching elections, which could expose Iraq to additional security, political, and economic pressures.
However, he stresses that the framework does not view the withdrawal as a direct security threat, but rather as an opportunity to enhance the capabilities of Iraqi forces and achieve full sovereignty, provided that it is accompanied by clear government policies to avoid sanctions.
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