US in talks with Iraq to end troop mission against ISIS

The U.S. and Iraq held an initial round of formal talks about ending the U.S.-led military mission in the country to fight against the Islamic State. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced Sunday that he had sponsored "the commencement of the first round of bilateral dialogue between Iraq and the United States of America to end the mission of the Coalition in Iraq," according to a report from The Associated Press. That statement was followed by one from the coalition, which said military officials will assess "the threat of Daesh (IS), operational and environmental requirements and Iraqi Security Force capabilities" and a higher military commission will "work to set the conditions to transition the mission in Iraq," according to the report. U.S. soldiers train at al-Asad air base in western Iraq. While the initial talks come as U.S. forces have been under increased attacks in the region, including a drone attack in Jordan Sunday that killed three U.S. service members and injured 25 more, U.S. officials say that plans to end the mission in Iraq were first discussed last year and that the timing of the talks with Iraq were not related to the increased attacks.