BAGHDAD: The U.S.-led coalition signalled on Monday the end of major combat operations against Islamic State in Iraq, announcing the "deactivation" of the command headquarters of its land component.

The nature of the coalition's support for Iraqi Security Forces will evolve "from supporting and enabling combat operations to the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities", it said in a statement.

"The Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Headquarters was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad, signifying the end of major combat operations against ISIS in Iraq and acknowledging the changing composition and responsibilities of the Coalition," it said.</s>The US-led coalition signalled on Monday the end of major combat operations against Islamic State in Iraq by announcing the “deactivation” of its land forces command headquarters. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the Islamic State in December, five months after his forces recaptured the country’s second city Mosul in a protracted battle with the jihadist militants. Islamic State, however, continues to carry out bombings, assassinations and ambushes in different areas of Iraq, and remains active in neighbouring Syria. In a statement, the U.S.-led coalition said its relationship with the Iraqi armed forces would evolve “from supporting and enabling combat operations to the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities”.

“The Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Headquarters was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad, signifying the end of major combat operations against ISIS(Islamic State) in Iraq and acknowledging the changing composition and responsibilities of the coalition.” Brett Mc Gurk, the U.S. envoy to the coalition, tweeted: “From Falluja to Tikrit, Baiji, Ramadi, Sinjar, Mosul and points in between, our coalition has been proud to stand beside Iraqi forces and (Kurdish) Peshmerga as they liberated their country and 4.5 million fellow citizens from ISIS.” NATO nations agreed in February to a bigger “train-and-advise” mission in Iraq as part of a broader international effort to help rebuild the country from more than a decade of war as combat operations wind down.

The United States wants to avoid a repeat of its 2011 withdrawal from Iraq and the subsequent rise of Islamic State as security unravelled. “The lesson learned from Iraq (is that) it is dangerous to leave too early because we may be forced back into combat operations,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in February.</s>BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S.-led coalition signaled on Monday the end of major combat operations against Islamic State in Iraq by announcing the “deactivation” of its land forces command headquarters.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the Islamic State in December, five months after his forces recaptured the country’s second city Mosul in a protracted battle with the jihadist militants.

Islamic State, however, continues to carry out bombings, assassinations and ambushes in different areas of Iraq, and remains active in neighboring Syria.

In a statement, the U.S.-led coalition said its relationship with the Iraqi armed forces would evolve “from supporting and enabling combat operations to the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities”.

“The Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Headquarters was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad, signifying the end of major combat operations against ISIS(Islamic State) in Iraq and acknowledging the changing composition and responsibilities of the coalition.”

Brett Mc Gurk, the U.S. envoy to the coalition, tweeted: “From Falluja to Tikrit, Baiji, Ramadi, Sinjar, Mosul and points in between, our coalition has been proud to stand beside Iraqi forces and (Kurdish) Peshmerga as they liberated their country and 4.5 million fellow citizens from ISIS.”

NATO nations agreed in February to a bigger “train-and-advise” mission in Iraq as part of a broader international effort to help rebuild the country from more than a decade of war as combat operations wind down.

The United States wants to avoid a repeat of its 2011 withdrawal from Iraq and the subsequent rise of Islamic State as security unraveled.

“The lesson learned from Iraq (is that) it is dangerous to leave too early because we may be forced back into combat operations,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in February.</s>BAGHDAD - The United States (US) -led coalition signalled on Monday the end of major combat operations against Islamic State in Iraq by announcing the “deactivation” of its land forces command headquarters.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the Islamic State in December, five months after his forces recaptured the country’s second city Mosul in a protracted battle with the jihadist militants.

Islamic State, however, continues to carry out bombings, assassinations and ambushes in different areas of Iraq, and remains active in neighbouring Syria.

In a statement, the US-led coalition said its relationship with the Iraqi armed forces would evolve “from supporting and enabling combat operations to the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities”.

“The Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Headquarters was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad, signifying the end of major combat operations against ISIS(Islamic State) in Iraq and acknowledging the changing composition and responsibilities of the coalition.”

Brett Mc Gurk, the US envoy to the coalition, tweeted: “From Falluja to Tikrit, Baiji, Ramadi, Sinjar, Mosul and points in between, our coalition has been proud to stand beside Iraqi forces and (Kurdish) Peshmerga as they liberated their country and 4.5 million fellow citizens from ISIS.”

Nato nations agreed in February to a bigger “train-and-advise” mission in Iraq as part of a broader international effort to help rebuild the country from more than a decade of war as combat operations wind down.

The United States wants to avoid a repeat of its 2011 withdrawal from Iraq and the subsequent rise of Islamic State as security unravelled.

“The lesson learnt from Iraq (is that) it is dangerous to leave too early because we may be forced back into combat operations,” Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in February.</s>BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S.-led coalition signaled on Monday the end of major combat operations against Islamic State in Iraq, announcing the "deactivation" of the command headquarters of its land component.

The nature of the coalition's support for Iraqi Security Forces will evolve "from supporting and enabling combat operations to the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities", it said in a statement.

"The Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Headquarters was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad, signifying the end of major combat operations against ISIS in Iraq and acknowledging the changing composition and responsibilities of the Coalition," it said.</s>BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S.-led coalition signalled on Monday the end of major combat operations against Islamic State in Iraq by announcing the "deactivation" of its land forces command headquarters.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the Islamic State in December, five months after his forces recaptured the country's second city Mosul in a protracted battle with the jihadist militants.

Islamic State, however, continues to carry out bombings, assassinations and ambushes in different areas of Iraq, and remains active in neighbouring Syria.

In a statement, the U.S.-led coalition said its relationship with the Iraqi armed forces would evolve "from supporting and enabling combat operations to the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities".

"The Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Headquarters was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad, signifying the end of major combat operations against ISIS (Islamic State) in Iraq and acknowledging the changing composition and responsibilities of the coalition."

Brett Mc Gurk, the U.S. envoy to the coalition, tweeted: "From Falluja to Tikrit, Baiji, Ramadi, Sinjar, Mosul and points in between, our coalition has been proud to stand beside Iraqi forces and (Kurdish) Peshmerga as they liberated their country and 4.5 million fellow citizens from ISIS."

NATO nations agreed in February to a bigger "train-and-advise" mission in Iraq as part of a broader international effort to help rebuild the country from more than a decade of war as combat operations wind down.

The United States wants to avoid a repeat of its 2011 withdrawal from Iraq and the subsequent rise of Islamic State as security unravelled.

"The lesson learned from Iraq (is that) it is dangerous to leave too early because we may be forced back into combat operations," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in February.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.</s>At least 1,970 were killed, executed, or found dead; and 194 more were wounded in recent violence. During March, at least 826 people were killed or found dead, and 286 were wounded. The higher fatalities figure is mostly due to the discovery of hundreds of corpses in the rubble of Mosul.

The analysis is as follows: At least 222 civilians, 277 security personnel, 458 militants, 49 PKK guerrillas, and one Turkish soldier were killed or found dead. Iraq also executed 13 people. Of these fatalities 1,444 were found in mass graves or extracted from the rubble of Mosul, leaving 526 people killed during the month of April. Security operations launched by Iraqi forces on Islamic State targets near the border in Syria accounted for 37 of the deaths. Of course, the deaths of the Kurdistan Workers Party (P.K.K.) guerrillas and the Turkish soldier are from that conflict spilling over the border from Turkey.

At least 138 civilians, 50 security personnel, three militants, and three Turkish soldiers were wounded. Also, hundreds were sickened by water possibly tainted by unburied corpses finding their way into rivers in the Mosul region.

At least four people were killed, and three were wounded in recent violence:

Two people were killed in Dibs when leftover explosives were detonated.

A bomb at a shop in Baquba killed the owner.

An off-duty border guard died in a landmine explosion in Choman near the Iranian border.

In other news: The U.S.-led Coalition fighting the Islamic State militants deactivated the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command, which oversaw ground operations in Iraq and Syria. Although its authority was transferred to the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, the closure represents the end of ground operations.
• Ten Foreign ISIS Wives Given Death Sentences; 10 Others Killed in Iraq – April 29th, 2018
• Five Foreign Women Condemned to Death in Iraqi Court; Four Killed in Iraq – April 26th, 2018</s>The Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command headquarters was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad, signifying the end of major combat operations in Iraq against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and acknowledging the changing composition and responsibilities of the coalition.

CJFLCC was responsible for coalition land force operations in support of Iraqi security forces during the campaign to defeat ISIS in Iraq and liberate more than 4.5 million Iraqis subject to ISIS’ brutal control.

Iraqi and coalition leaders attended the ceremony that formally transferred CJFLCC’s command authorities to Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve and featured a traditional casing of the colors ceremony.

“Casing the CJFLCC colors is a symbolic gesture, honoring the perseverance and sacrifice of our coalition partners,” said Army Maj. Gen. Walter Piatt, the former commander of CJFLCC. “Thanks to our partnered success, we are able to continue our support to the government of Iraq under the unified command of CJTF-OIR.”

Iraqi Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool Abdullah, spokesman for Iraqi security forces, said CJFLCC has been an integral part of Iraq’s success against ISIS.

“The commitment and professionalism of all the men and women from all the coalition nations has been of the highest order, and Iraq is immensely grateful for their sacrifice and dedication in this task,” he said. “We look forward to taking the partnership forward with the Combined Joint Task Force, and a friendship that will endure for years to come.”

With the deactivation of CJFLCC, its train, advise, assist and equip missions in support of Iraqi forces are now consolidated under a single headquarters, reflecting the coalition’s commitment to eliminate unnecessary command structures as the nature of its support to Iraq evolves from supporting and enabling combat operations to the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities.</s>BAGHDAD—The U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State closed down the headquarters for its ground forces in Baghdad on Monday, signaling the end of major combat operations in Iraq ahead of next month’s election.

Iraq claimed victory over Islamic State in December after more than three years of war, but militants remain active in some parts of the country and have resorted to insurgent attacks elsewhere—exposing a persistent weakness of the local security forces.</s>In a major milestone on Monday, the US-led coalition fighting the militant "Islamic State" (IS) group announced the end of ground operations in Iraq.

According to a statement from the US Department of Defense, the coalition's Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command "was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad."

Read more: 'Islamic State' — What next for jihadi 'Beatles?'

Brigadier General Yahya Rasool Abdullah, a spokesman for the Iraqi forces, acknowledged the coalition's contributions to fighting IS.

"The commitment and professionalism of all the men and women from all the coalition nations has been of the highest order, and Iraq is immensely grateful for their sacrifice and dedication in this task," he said in a statement.

In December, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the militants, five months after Iraqi forces recaptured the city of Mosul.

IS fighters continue to carry out bomb attacks and assassinations in regions of Iraq and remain active in Syria.

Read more: Poverty and lack of services in Iraq force refugees back to the camps

The statement noted that the move signifies the coalition's "changing composition and responsibilities" with regard to Iraqi forces.

The US-led coalition will now shift from supporting and taking part in combat missions to focusing on "the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities."

Read more: War-torn Iraq seeks help from abroad to rebuild

The US and its partners are hoping to avoid repeating the mistakes of its 2011 withdrawal from Iraq. The subsequent security vacuum contributed to the rise of IS in the country.

"The lesson learned from Iraq [is that] it is dangerous to leave too early because we may be forced back into combat operations," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in February.

The coalition, which operates in Syria as well, has come under fire for civilian deaths in its campaign against IS.

Last Thursday, the coalition acknowledged an additional 28 civilian deaths in Syria and Iraq, bringing the total of non-fighters killed to 883.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.
The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq declares an end to major combat operations against ISIL in Iraq and closes the Coalition Forces Land Component Command headquarters. The U.S.-led coalition says in a statement that it would transition "from supporting and enabling combat operations to the training and development of self-sufficient Iraqi security-related capabilities".