Iraqi Army Takes Over Ain al-Assad Base Following US Withdrawal
Iraq’s Ministry of Defence confirms the complete handover of the strategic base following the departure of American forces.
Iraq, PUREWILAYAH.COM — Iraq’s Ministry of Defence confirmed on Saturday that the Iraqi Army has taken full administrative control of Ain al-Assad Base following the withdrawal of US forces.
In a statement, the ministry said that Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, Lieutenant General of Special Forces Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, personally supervised the distribution of missions and duties among military branches and formations inside Ain al-Assad Base, after the American forces withdrew and the Iraqi Army assumed full management of the facility.
Redistribution of Forces and Security Responsibilities
The statement added that during the visit, Yarallah was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, commanders of the ground forces, air force, and army aviation, the Deputy Director of Military Intelligence, the Head of the Security Media Cell, the Director of Logistics, and the Director of Media Affairs. They were received by the Commander of Al-Jazira Operations, the Base Commander, and the Commander of the 2nd Special Forces Division.
Upon arrival, the Chief of Staff followed the stages of assuming the security file by directly overseeing the field distribution of military branches and formations within the base. This included the deployment of the 65th Special Forces Brigade and its battalions, as well as the allocation of headquarters for both the Air Force Command and Army Aviation Command.
The statement continued that Yarallah inspected all sections of the base to secure service facilities, infrastructure, administrative, and logistical aspects, in order to ensure the highest level of readiness for carrying out assigned duties.
The ministry concluded that Yarallah instructed the relevant authorities at the base to intensify efforts, strengthen joint work, and enhance coordination and cooperation among all units stationed there, while making optimal use of the base’s capabilities and strategic location.
He stressed the importance of working in a unified team spirit and distributing tasks in a manner that ensures the security and protection of Ain al-Assad Base, describing it as one of the most important military bases within the area of responsibility. (PW)