Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi met with National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk and US Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller during which they discussed "mechanisms for the withdrawal of combat forces from Iraq,” according to Iraqi state media.

McGurk and the delegation also met with Iraqi President Barham Salih.

The US presence, which is the result of a formal invitation from Baghdad to assist in the fight against Islamic State (ISIS), is opposed by a number of groups, including the militias that have used harassing attacks against installations hosting troops and diplomats in an attempt to force the issue.

Washington has said that soldiers in Iraq are in the country in a support and training capacity, rather than to conduct combat operations.

The issue has dominated the first several rounds of strategic dialogue talks, which stretch back to the Trump administration.

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