IRAQI resistance groups vowed today to force the United States into a humiliating retreat as they dismissed Washington’s  recent announcement of a troop withdrawal as deceptive and bogus.

The Iranian-backed Kata’ib Hezbollah militia said it was prepared to force US occupation forces to leave the country, declaring in a statement that it firmly opposes “evil” colonial powers dominating Iraq’s natural resources.

“All resistance groups have become a thorn in the eye of the American enemy. We are fully prepared to once again drive US forces out of Iraq in humiliation,” it warned in a statement.

The group, which forms part of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), said that there were more surprises in store for US soldiers, who are in Iraq to conduct joint anti-terror operations with the Iraqi army.

President Joe Biden announced on Monday, at a joint White House press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Khadimi, that the US combat mission would be over by the end of the year.

But Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq movement — also part of the PMF — said the US does not intend to withdraw its forces from the country and warned there would be a heavy price to pay for its continued presence.

“The agreement has simply been struck in order to change the title of US forces. This is what we had earlier reported about,” he said.

“US overflights in Iraq are being carried out to spy on resistance groups. Our demand concerning the pullout of foreign military forces is legitimate.”