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The US military is expected to complete the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq on Wednesday, ending a 12-year presence that began with the campaign against the Islamic State militant group ISIS, ABC News reported.
The withdrawal plan was negotiated with Iraq by the Biden administration in 2024, with September 30 set as the final deadline. The Trump administration has continued to implement the plan. US troops first left Iraq in 2011 after an eight-year presence that began with the 2003 US invasion. They returned in 2014 after ISIS seized large parts of Iraq and Syria and threatened the approaches to Baghdad. Although the US-led campaign defeated ISIS militarily in 2019, American forces remained in Iraq to help prevent a resurgence of the group, ABC News reported. In recent months, the US military had consolidated its positions in northern Iraq and reduced its presence in Erbil. ABC News reported that only a very small US presence remained in northern Iraq ahead of the final withdrawal. The departure comes amid a changed regional security environment following the US war with Iran. Iraq has longstanding political, cultural and military ties with Iran, including Iranian support for Shiite militia groups operating inside the country. Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that the remaining US forces are relocating to Jordan, where the ongoing mission against Islamic State militants will be headquartered. The Pentagon maintains that forces operating from Jordan can target militants posing a threat to US personnel and interests. The newspaper reported that about 1,500 US personnel and anti-ISIS coalition members had recently remained in Iraq as forces were consolidated ahead of the September 30 deadline. The withdrawal also comes as Iraq seeks to address the role of armed groups operating outside full state control. The Washington Post reported that Iranian-backed militias have resisted calls to disarm, with the deadline for their disarmament extended to June 2027. Al Jazeera reported that Iraq will mark the US departure with four Sovereignty Days, a national holiday highlighting the significance of the end of the US military presence. The outlet reported that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has linked the withdrawal to efforts to strengthen state authority, including plans to disarm militias by June 2027. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly last week, al-Zaidi said his government was striving to ensure that the state is the ultimate decision-maker in matters of peace and war. With Wednesday's expected withdrawal, the US will for the second time end its military presence in Iraq, ABC News reported. (ANI)
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