US President Donald Trump described the end of the US military presence in the country as a “victory for the United States“ and “victory for Iraq“. The last US troops left a base in northern Iraq, ending the mission of the Washington-led coalition against the “Islamic State“, BTA reports.
“I could have chosen to stay or go, and without a doubt I think it was time for the US to come home“, Trump wrote on Truth Social. He described the withdrawal as orderly and said it marked the end of a period marked by "very bad decisions" that dragged the United States into wars.
Washington and Baghdad agreed to end the mission in 2024, and the withdrawal was carried out in stages. American forces left most of their bases in Iraq last year, with a limited contingent remaining in the autonomous Kurdistan region until September 30.
The coalition operation against the "Islamic State" began in 2014 after the group seized significant territory in Iraq and Syria. "Islamic State" was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, but US and coalition forces remained in the country to confront the organization's remaining structures.
After the withdrawal, the US will maintain bilateral military cooperation with Iraq, including limited training and intelligence support. Iraqi forces assume primary responsibility for combating the remnants of the “Islamic State“.
However, the end of the US mission is accompanied by security concerns. Some Iraqi officials and analysts warn that residual cells of the “Islamic State“ or Iranian-backed armed groups could take advantage of the change. The situation is particularly worrying for some in Kurdistan, where US forces have periodically been the target of attacks.
The withdrawal ends more than two decades of US military presence in Iraq. The US invaded the country in 2003, withdrew its main forces in 2011, and returned three years later with the mission against the “Islamic State“.