The United States will reduce the number of US troops in Iraq by around 12,000 in the next six months, the US military said, an initial step in President Barack Obama's plan to end Iraq combat operations in August 2010.

"Two brigade combat teams who were scheduled to redeploy in the next six months, along with enabling forces such as logistics, engineers and intelligence, will not be replaced," the US military said in a statement.

That would reduce the number of US troops in Iraq -- currently around 140,000 -- by around 12,000. A US combat brigade typically has 4,000-5,000 soldiers.

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