The US Central Command said in a statement that its combat mission in Iraq was over and that US troops would be present only to provide military advice and assistance to Iraqi forces.

The statement stressed that from the New Year, no US combat troops will be present on Iraqi soil, and that US forces will exist only for military training and to provide advice and support to Iraqi forces.

The US Central Command stressed in the statement that Iraqi forces are now responsible for protecting the US-led coalition forces and that they will have the right to defend themselves, although coalition forces will not play a combat role.

Two days ago, US President Joe Biden, in a letter to Congress and the Senate, announced the end of the combat mission of the US forces in Iraq based on an agreement made between the two countries during strategic talks.

Meanwhile Iraq's national security adviser Qasim al-Araji said on Thursday the U.S-led international coalition has ended its combat mission in Iraq and withdrawn from the country.

Coalition forces will continue only in a training and development capacity, he said according to Iraqi News Agency (INA).

On July 26, Baghdad and Washington agreed that the US withdraws its combat troops from Iraq by the end of the current year, leaving only a small number of US troops to advise and train Iraqi forces.

Reporter's code: 50101