US-led coalition threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict, says Baghdad

Accusing the US-led anti-jihadist coalition of being a "factor of instability" in the country following a deadly strike on an Iran-backed group, Iraqi authorities on Thursday said that the US-led fraction has threatened to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict.

The US-led international military coalition in Iraq was set up to fight Islamic State. The United States has 2,500 troops in Iraq, advising and assisting local forces to prevent a resurgence of the group.

Yehia Rasool, a spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister said "This path pushes the Iraqi government more than ever before to end the coalition's mission which has become a factor of instability for Iraq,".

Rasool said in a statement that the U.S.-led coalition "has become a factor for instability and threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict."

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Since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began in October, Iraq and Syria have witnessed almost daily tit-for-tat attacks between hardline Iran-backed armed groups and U.S. forces stationed in the region.

With inputs from Reuters.