US forces are set to leave their remaining bases in Iraq by Wednesday, this brings an end to a military presence that began with the 2003 US-led invasion and lasted for more than two decades. The US mission once involved more than 170,000 troops, but the American presence had fallen to fewer than 200 by July, according to Stars and Stripes.
Around 4,500 US service members were killed during the more than two decades of war, Reuters reported. American forces formally withdrew from Iraq in 2011 but returned in 2014 as part of the campaign against Islamic State.
The US and Iraq agreed in 2024, during Joe Biden's presidency, to wind down the US-led coalition mission. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who took office in May, has described September 30 as the “fixed and final” date for the withdrawal, Al Jazeera reported.
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The Trump administration is now completing the pullout as it continues its military campaign against Iran.
What It Means For Iran
Iran and its allies have celebrated the departure as a victory, and they now hold deep influence in Iraq, Reuters reported.
Iraqi security experts told the agency the withdrawal could give Tehran and its powerful allies free rein. It also removes US bases that Iran-backed groups have repeatedly targeted, and thereby a source of pressure on Iran's neighbourhood.
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Risks For The Region
The same experts warned the exit could allow other US adversaries, including Islamic State, to stage a comeback. Iraqi security officials told Reuters that a suspected Islamic State cell was preparing suicide attacks to coincide with the pullout.
A security official said sleeper cell movement had been noticed for more than two weeks, and residents of Falluja, once a centre of resistance to US forces, say they fear for their security.
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What Happens Next
Iraqi forces will take primary responsibility for security after September 30. Baghdad and Washington are expected to continue economic and security cooperation, and al-Zaidi has invited more US investment.
Some reports say a small US presence remains at Harir air base in the Kurdistan Region, so the "full withdrawal" may not cover it.
The shift comes as the US-Iran war continues, and Iraq sits between the two. How Baghdad balances relations with Washington and Tehran, and whether its forces can contain Islamic State, will decide whether the exit brings stability or a new vacuum.
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