US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran
Iran-backed factions call the exit a victory, while Iraqi officials warn the pullout could help Islamic State regroup and expand its influence.
- By Wednesday, the United States will complete the withdrawal of its remaining 2,500 troops from Iraq, concluding the 12-year US-led Operation Inherent Resolve mission against the Islamic State.
- In 2024, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih and Washington agreed to a normalized relationship, aiming to shift bilateral ties from security toward economic cooperation and other arenas.
- Sunni tribal leader Abdulrahman Zobaie warned Iraq is not yet ready to manage security alone, as Hezbollah and other hardline groups have shown no indication they will integrate into state forces.
- Baghdad extended the deadline for integrating militias and handing over weapons to June 30, 2027, though Alina Romanowski noted security reform will not happen soon.
- Vulnerable ethnic minorities like Yazidis could face increased exposure from October 1 onward, analysts warn, as Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declares the date marks Iraq's full sovereignty.
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315 Articles
As the last US troops exit Iraq, Kurdish fears rise and militias celebrate – WTOP News
BAGHDAD (AP) — The last U.S. troops were slated to leave Iraq on Wednesday under an agreement between Baghdad and Washington, a move celebrated by Iran-backed groups but which some other Iraqis found concerning, particularly in the Kurdish region. U.S. troops invaded Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein. They departed in 2011, but three...
Today marks the expiration of the deadline the US set for withdrawing troops from the country. The Trump administration is not publicizing it, but if all goes well, all American troops will have left Iraq after 23 years. It will be the first time since the start of the Iraq War that there are no American soldiers in Iraq. Iraq itself is celebrating this as a holiday: the government calls September 30 'Sovereignty Day'. According to Prime Minist…
After 23 years, the US is withdrawing its last troops from Iraq. It should have been a turning point. Instead, Baghdad is fighting another creeping takeover.
On 30 September, the forces of the international coalition left Iraqi soil, closing a military phase opened during the 2003 American invasion. Between triumphalism and fear the next day, the Iraqis remained suspicious, in a troubled regional context.
Goodnight Baghdad: US troops leave Iraq after 23 years
The Iraq War was already four-years-old when I walked down the ramp of a C-17 at Al Taqaddum Air Base in April 2007. The fact that I am writing these words is proof that I survived that deployment and a subsequent one to Afghanistan in 2013.In the years since, I transitioned back into civilian life, established a new career, and saw my kids grow up and escape the nest. During nearly all of that time, there were still American troops on the groun…
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