US troops completely withdraw from Iraq

US Army soldiers stand outside their armored vehicle on a joint base with Iraqi army south of Mosul, Iraq. Photo: Khalid Mohammed/AP Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – An Iraqi government official announced on Sunday that the withdrawal of the US troops from Iraq has been completed. The official stated that both combat and logistical support personnel have departed the country, although there has been no formal confirmation from the US side, Sky News Arabia reported. In 2024, Iraq and the United States agreed on a timeline to end the US military presence in the country. According to the US Department of Defense, approximately 2,500 US troops had been stationed in Iraq in the past few years. Prior to the withdrawal, US forces were deployed across Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, a base near Baghdad International Airport, and locations within the Green Zone in the capital, Baghdad. US forces returned to Iraq in 2014 in response to a request by the Iraqi government—as part of the international coalition to combat ISIS—three years after their withdrawal following the 2003 US invasion. While the terrorist group’s defeat in Iraq was announced in 2017, its cells remain in remote areas. The withdrawal comes as Iraq faces security consequences linked to the conflict involving Iran, amid recent attacks targeting US facilities and forces.