Key facts
- US military is on track to complete its withdrawal from Iraq by September 30.
- The US and Iraq agreed to wind down operations against the Islamic State group.
- Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi confirmed September 30 as the final date for the military mission.
- US troops and equipment have begun withdrawing from Erbil.
U.S. military officials stated that forces are on schedule to withdraw from Iraq by September 30, concluding a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion. This withdrawal follows a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad to conclude U.S.-led operations against the Islamic State group.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met with Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, and affirmed September 30 as the definitive date for the end of the Global Coalition's mission in Iraq and the departure of its forces. A U.S. official corroborated this timeline, though details on remaining troop numbers and redeployment locations were not disclosed.
The U.S. official highlighted the success in defeating ISIS, stating that Iraqi security forces will now lead the fight against terrorists. Two Iraqi Kurdish officials reported that a drawdown of U.S. troops and equipment from Erbil commenced approximately three weeks prior.
The U.S. presence in Iraq peaked at over 170,000 troops in 2007. Following an initial withdrawal in December 2011, U.S. forces returned in 2014 at the Iraqi government's invitation to combat the Islamic State group. After ISIS lost its territorial control, coalition operations concluded in 2021, with about 2,500 U.S. troops remaining for training and counter-ISIS missions.
Prime Minister al-Zaidi has also set a September 30 deadline for non-state armed groups to disarm, arguing there will be no justification for them to carry weapons after foreign troops leave. However, some powerful Iran-backed militias have indicated no intention of relinquishing their arms, potentially making the disarmament deadline difficult to meet.