No intention to extend the combat mission of the U.S. forces, senior officer says 

Shafaq News/ Spokesperson to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major-General Tahseen al-Khafaji, stressed that Baghdad and Washington are committed to the timetable of the U.S. combat forces' withdrawal from Iraq.

In a statement to Shafaq News Agency, al-Khafaji said that the date of the U.S. forces withdrawal from Iraq is not extendable per a mutual agreement between the two countries.  "There is no intention to prolong the stay," he said.

"Beyond 31/12/2021, the mission of the U.S. forces will be transformed from combating to consulting, training, equipping, and exchanging intel," he continued, "Iraq will have no foreign combat force on its soil anymore."

Iraqi Shiite forces have warned of escalation if the U.S. troops do not leave the country they invaded in 2003.