While U.S. and Iraqi officials have acknowledged in private that the resumption started about two weeks ago, in public they have either denied it or remained tight-lipped. Iranian-backed militia groups have also targeted U.S. military and diplomatic installations, raising the cost of Washington’s presence in Iraq for politicians back home. But Western officials fear that a hasty drawdown might allow Islamic State fighters to rally. ADADIn northeastern Syria, coalition operations against the Islamic State have also resumed in recent months, after they were significantly curtailed by a Turkish invasion there. ADWith that view increasingly common among Iraqi and Western officials, discussions over the coalition’s role are ongoing.

Source: Washington Post January 30, 2020 18:11 UTC