U.S. to withdraw 4,000 troops from Iraq in October

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The United States will withdraw another 4,000 troops from Iraq by the end of October, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said in prepared remarks to be delivered to a congressional hearing later Wednesday.

Gen. Ray Odierno, the U.S. commanding general in Iraq, will also tell the House Armed Forces Committee that as violence has dropped in Iraq, the U.S. military is on track to end its combat mission in Iraq by next year, according to his statement released to the media prior to the hearing.

"We have approximately 124,000 troops and 11 Combat Teams operating in Iraq today. By the end of October, I believe we will be down to 120,000 troops in Iraq," he said in the remarks.

Odierno said statistics show violence has dropped in Iraq.

"Overall attacks have decreased 85 percent over the past two years from 4,064 in August 2007 to 594 in August 2009, with 563 in September so far," the general said.

"In that same time period, U.S. military deaths have decreased by 93 percent, (and) Iraqi Security Force deaths have decreased 79percent," he added.

However, Odierno said there were still security concerns.

"Although overall security is improving, it is not yet enduring. There still remain underlying, unresolved sources of potential conflict," the general said.