2,500 American troops leave Iraq after 12-year ISIS mission
Iraq enters post-US military era as militias, foreign forces and security challenges take center stage in Baghdad
September 30, 2026
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The withdrawal of the remaining 2,500 US troops marks the end of Operation Inherent Resolve, but Iraq continues to face questions over armed groups, foreign forces and security in the Kurdistan Region.
Despite the military withdrawal, US-Iraq relations are not ending. Analysts say the relationship is expected to increasingly focus on economic and commercial cooperation, alongside continued defense ties, as Baghdad seeks to consolidate its sovereignty while maintaining its partnership with Washington.
Iraq is set to enter a new phase after the United States completes the withdrawal of its remaining 2,500 troops on September 30, ending the 12-year US-led Operation Inherent Resolve mission against ISIS and more than two decades of US military involvement in the country.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has described October 1 as a new era of Iraqi sovereignty, with Baghdad planning four public holidays to mark what it calls “Independence Day.” The withdrawal follows a 2024 agreement between Baghdad and Washington. However, the departure of US forces does not mean Iraq will be free of foreign military deployments. Turkey still maintains troops in northern Iraq, although Ankara has said it will gradually hand over a military base to Baghdad, dw.com reports.
Retired, living in the Scottish Borders after living most of my life in cities in England. I can now indulge my interest in all aspects of living close to nature in a wild landscape. I live on what was once the Iapetus Ocean which took millions of years to travel from the Southern Hemisphere to here in the Northern Hemisphere. That set me thinking and questioning and seeking answers.
In 1998 I co-wrote Millennium Countdown (US)/ A Business Guide to the Year 2000 (UK) see https://www.abebooks.co.uk/products/isbn/9780749427917
