A U.S. soldier is seen during the hand over of US-led coalition forces to Iraqi Security Forces at Qayyarah Airfield West in the south of Mosul, Iraq March 26, 2020. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani

QAYYARA WEST AIRFIELD, Iraq: Troops with the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State began departing an air base in northern Iraq on Thursday, handing it over fully to the Iraqi military as part of a reduction of foreign forces in the country.