Iraq postpones setting date for U.S.-led coalition departure

Iraq on Thursday delayed the announcement of an end date for the U.S.-led coalition's mission in the country, citing recent regional developments.

The Iraqi foreign ministry said there are no U.S. combat forces in Iraq, only advisors operating under the coalition umbrella. These advisors are subject to the Joint Higher Military Commission, which was jointly created by Iraq and the United States to supervise the coalition mission in Iraq.

The ministry said the two sides were nearing an agreement on a withdrawal timeline, but "recent events" had pushed back the announcement.