Lobanese al-Akhbar daily wrote on Saturday that despite Baghdad’s call for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq and closing all foreign military bases in the country, the U.S. is trying to expand its military presence in the western part of the country.

The daily has quoted different official and unofficial sources as saying that there are at least 10000 U.S. troops in 13 military bases in Iraq and Washington has built two more bases in the western province of Anbar.

According to the sources the two bases are in the southeastern part of Anbar near the bordering triangle between Iraq, Syria and Jordan.

The report added that the building of the base on the road between Baghdad and Damascus has been practically ended and the second base on the road between Baghdad and Amman is being equipped.

The sources told al-Akhbar that the U.S. is seeking to ease the process of monitoring the connecting lines of the Defense Axis (Tehran- Baghdad- Damascus- Beirut) and the large amount of gas in the region.

Reporter’s code: 50101