US President Joe Biden signed an agreement on 26 July with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi, calling for his country’s so-called “combat mission” in Iraq to come to an end this year.

“We will not be at the end of the year on a combat mission in Iraq,” Biden said during the Iraqi PM’s official visit to the White House. “But our cooperation against terrorism will continue even in this new stage that we are discussing,” Biden said in reference to the new role US troops will have in Iraq, reportedly providing advice and training the Iraqi army.

A US-led coalition invaded Iraq in March 2003 on accusations that the government of President Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction. But while Saddam was ousted from power and eventually killed, the presence of WMDs was proven to have been a hoax.