U.S. Ends Iraq Military Mission as Last Troops Leave Erbil
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The United States completed the withdrawal of its remaining forces from Iraq on Wednesday, September 30, ending a military presence that began more than two decades ago with the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The final troops and equipment departed mainly from Erbil Air Base in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.
The withdrawal formally concludes the Iraq phase of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led campaign launched in 2014 against ISIS. The departure follows an agreement reached by Washington and Baghdad in 2024 to end the coalition’s military mission in Iraq and shift primary security responsibility to Iraqi forces.
U.S. Central Command said the Combined Joint Task Force–Operation Inherent Resolve remains active but has moved its headquarters to Jordan, while U.S. forces continue counter-ISIS operations in Syria alongside coalition partners. Washington and Baghdad are expected to continue their relationship through bilateral defense cooperation.
The departure closes another chapter in U.S. military involvement in Iraq. American forces first withdrew in 2011 before returning in 2014 as ISIS captured large areas of Iraq and Syria. Concerns remain that ISIS cells and armed groups operating outside full government control could exploit changes in the country’s security landscape.
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Tahani Elghazaly5210 Posts
