US Completes Military Withdrawal from Iraq After 23 Years

The United States formally concluded its military presence in Iraq on September 30, 2026, ending a mission that began with the 2003 invasion. The final contingent of approximately 2,500 troops and their equipment departed from Erbil Air Base in the Kurdistan Region, marking the official end of Operation Inherent Resolve. This withdrawal, agreed upon in 2024, transitions the U.S.-Iraq relationship from a wartime coalition to a bilateral defense partnership focused on targeted training and intelligence sharing.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declared October 1 as Sovereignty Day, hailing the move as a restoration of national dignity. However, the exit has created significant security anxieties. Kurdish officials warned that the removal of U.S. Patriot missile batteries leaves the Kurdistan Region vulnerable to Iranian drone and missile attacks. Simultaneously, security officials reported increased activity from Islamic State sleeper cells seeking to exploit the vacuum.

Domestic tensions persist as Prime Minister al-Zaidi attempts to disarm pro-Iranian militias. While he initially promised a September 30 deadline, he later extended the disarmament window to June 30, 2027, after hard-line groups like Kata'ib Hezbollah refused to surrender weapons. Iran and its aligned militias celebrated the withdrawal as a strategic victory for the axis of resistance. Despite the military exit, the U.S. maintains economic leverage over Baghdad through the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which holds Iraq's oil revenues.