Walgreens will close about 600 drugstores as part of its deal to buy nearly 2,000 Rite Aid locations, the chain announced.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., based in Deerfield, Ill., is in the process of acquiring 1,932 Rite Aid stores as part of a $4.4 billion deal expected to be complete by spring 2018. As part of the process, Walgreens said it will close 600 stores, mostly Rite Aid locations within a mile of another store. Some Walgreens stores will be closing as well, the company added.

The remaining Rite Aids stores will be rebranded as Walgreens.

A list of stores closures hasn't been released.

The closures are expected to start next spring and be completed over the next 18 months.

The announcement is the latest in Walgreen's long-fought effort to acquire Rite Aid stores. The deal has been closely scrutinized by the Federal Trade Commission over concerns the merger of the No. 2 and No. 3 pharmacy chains could create an unfair competitive advantage.