US Forces Leave Iraq After More Than Two Decades of War
The last U.S. troops left Iraq on Wednesday, ending more than two decades of American military presence in the country. The final forces departed mainly from an airbase in Erbil, in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, as the U.S.-led coalition's mission formally came to a close.
The withdrawal was agreed to in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by President Donald Trump's administration.
More Than Two Decades of Conflict
U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq in 2003 and toppled Saddam Hussein. American troops first left the country at the end of 2011, but they returned less than three years later after the Islamic State group seized about a third of Iraq.
The coalition fight against ISIS, known as Operation Inherent Resolve, has now formally ended. More than 4,500 U.S. troops died in Iraq over the years, according to Military Times. The Iraq Body Count project estimates about 200,000 Iraqi civilians were killed.
How the Pullout Unfolded
The withdrawal happened in stages. U.S. forces began leaving Ain al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq in August 2025 and completed that handover in January 2026, ending the American presence in federal Iraq.
The remaining troops were stationed in the Kurdish region. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi pushed for the September 30 deadline during a visit to Washington in July, and the Iraqi government has declared September 30 and October 1 "Days of Sovereignty" holidays, according to The National.
"The end of the international coalition's mission does not mean the end of our battle against terrorism," al-Zaidi said.
The Pentagon said it will continue to provide targeted training and intelligence support to Iraqi security forces.
Leaving During a War With Iran
The exit comes as the U.S. remains in conflict with Iran. The war, called Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, and joint U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that month.
U.S. forces in Iraq were frequent targets. They absorbed more than 600 separate attacks during the conflict, according to a Pentagon report. Seven of the 18 U.S. service members killed since the war began died in Iraq, including an Army sergeant killed near Erbil in July.
The war has also divided Washington. Earlier this month, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie filed articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his handling of the conflict.
Iran Sees an Opening
Analysts say Tehran stands to gain from the U.S. departure.
"Iran stands to benefit strategically from the coalition's departure because it removes a military presence that for years acted as a counterweight to Tehran's influence in Iraq," said Iraqi security analyst Jasim al-Bahadli.
Iranian lawmaker Amir Hayat Moqaddam said Iran "welcomes the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and will undoubtedly support it."
A commander with the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq called the pullout "a historic victory" for militia groups. Some hardline factions, including Kataib Hezbollah, have said they will not disarm until all foreign troops are gone. Iraq has pushed its militia disarmament target to June 2027.
Fears of an ISIS Comeback
Some Iraqis worry the country is not ready to go it alone. ISIS was defeated as a territorial force nearly a decade ago, but it still has sleeper cells in parts of Iraq.
"We believe Iraq is still not fully ready to take over the security file at this time," said Abdulrahman al-Zobaie, a Sunni tribal leader in Fallujah.
Kurdish officials share that concern. Kurdish commander Sirwan Barzani said fighters have noticed increased movement by ISIS sleeper cells in recent weeks, and Kurdish leaders fear losing U.S. air support.
Iraq is now seeking new bilateral security agreements with the U.S., NATO and other countries to fill the gap.
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