Mar 29, 2020 - World

U.S.-led coalition in Iraq withdraws from 3rd base this month

Jacob Knutson

A soldier stands guard at the Qayyarah airbase in southern Mosul — A soldier stands guard at the Qayyarah Airfiend in southern Mosul, March 26. Photo: Murtadha Al-Sudani/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq withdrew from K1 Air Base in the northern part of the country on Sunday, AP reports.

Why it matters: It's the third site that coalition forces have left this month as the U.S. gathers troops in Baghdad and at Ain al-Asad Air Base.

The coalition handed the base over to the Iraqi military along with at least $1.1 million of equipment.

The big picture: K1 Air Base suffered a rocket attack from an Iranian-backed militia group in December 2019 that killed one American contractor and led to the U.S.-directed killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

Go deeper: 2 U.S. service members killed by rocket attack in Iraq

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U.S.-led coalition in Iraq withdraws from 3rd base this month

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