The International Coalition hands over Al-Taji camp to the Iraq security forces
Shafaq News / The International Coalition handed over Al-Taji military base, north of the capital, Baghdad, to the Iraqi forces this morning, in an official ceremony.
Al-Taji base is located about 85 km north of Baghdad. It contains an airport and a huge military base that was originally affiliated with the Iraqi Republican Guard built during Saddam Hussein's era.
Al-Taji had the largest tank maintenance site in Iraq, and is said to have been a center for manufacturing chemical weapons.
The coalition said in a statement today that the site assigned to the coalition forces has been handed over to the Iraqi side, thanks to the successes achieved by the Iraqi security forces in the ongoing campaign to defeat ISIS, which allowed the coalition to shift its focus and role in Iraq, indicating that the repositioning of military personnel is part of a long-term plan coordinated with the Iraqi Government.
Major General Kenneth Ekman, Deputy Commander of the Joint Task Force, said, “Camp Al-Taji has served as the primary location for coalition partners to train the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Air Force, and Special Forces. From today onwards, the Iraqi Security Forces will take the responsibility to manage it.