U.S. completes Iraq withdrawal after 12-year anti-ISIS mission

The United States completed its withdrawal from Iraq under a 2024 agreement with Baghdad, with the final troops and equipment leaving Erbil and ending the 12-year Operation Inherent Resolve mission in the country. Washington says the campaign defeated ISIS as an organized military force in Iraq, and Iraqi forces have taken responsibility for remaining security threats; the United States will continue limited training and intelligence support. The anti-ISIS coalition is moving its headquarters to Jordan, with operations continuing from Jordan and Syria. U.S. forces first invaded Iraq in 2003, left in 2011 and returned at Iraq’s request in 2014 to fight ISIS. Iraqi officials welcomed the withdrawal as a step toward sovereignty, while Kurdish officials and other Iraqis fear renewed ISIS activity and attacks by Iran-aligned militias amid escalating regional conflict and Iraq’s position between Washington and Tehran.