The US military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq is complete

The United States military has officially completed its 12-year mission in Iraq, with all remaining troops withdrawn from the country by September 30, 2026. This withdrawal marks the conclusion of the U.S.-led coalition's deployment, initiated in 2014 to combat the Islamic State (ISIS) group after it gained significant territory in Iraq. The final departure of American forces from an air base in northern Iraq follows an agreement reached between Washington and Baghdad in 2024 to wind down the counter-ISIS operations.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over a handover ceremony, hailing the withdrawal as a new phase defined by Iraq's sovereignty and the strength of its own security forces. The Iraqi government had reaffirmed September 30, 2026, as the "fixed and final date" for the mission's conclusion. While celebrated by some as a step towards greater Iraqi autonomy, the departure has also raised concerns among certain Iraqi factions, particularly in the Kurdish region, and amid ongoing challenges posed by Iran-backed militias.

This recent withdrawal is distinct from the prior major U.S. military exit from Iraq in December 2011, which formally concluded the Iraq War that began in 2003. U.S. forces had redeployed to Iraq in 2014 at the invitation of the Iraqi government to assist in the fight against ISIS, establishing the mission that has now concluded after 12 years. The Pentagon stated that this milestone reflects the success of the campaign in defeating ISIS as an organized military threat, transitioning to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a bilateral relationship.