US Forces to Leave Iraq by Sept 30

The US military is on track to pull all of its forces out of Iraq by September 30, marking the end of a presence that started with the 2003 US-led invasion. This deadline is 'fixed and final', according to Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who met with US Central Command Commander General Brad Cooper on Wednesday.

The withdrawal is part of an agreement between Washington and Baghdad to wind down US-led operations against the Islamic State jihadist group in Iraq, which was reached in 2024. US troops had already pulled out of bases in most areas of Iraq last year, but maintained a presence in the semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region. However, a drawdown of US troops and military equipment from Erbil began about three weeks ago.

The US presence in Iraq grew to more than 170,000 troops at the peak of counterinsurgency operations in 2007. In December 2011, the final combat troops departed Iraq, and the US maintained about 2,500 troops in Iraq for training and to conduct counter-IS operations with Iraq’s military after ISIS lost its hold on territory it once claimed.

## What happens next Following the withdrawal, Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other Iraqi Kurdistan Region security forces, will lead the fight against terrorists in Iraq. The US and Iraq will shift their ties toward economic and security cooperation based on mutual respect for sovereignty. Additionally, Iraq’s prime minister has set a September 30 deadline for non-state armed groups in Iraq to give up their weapons, with the goal of placing all weapons under exclusive state control to move Iraq into a new phase of development and prosperity.

## Why it matters The withdrawal of US forces from Iraq marks a significant milestone in the country's history, ending a presence that started with the 2003 US-led invasion. The move is expected to have significant implications for the region, with Iraqi security forces taking the lead in the fight against terrorism. The US and Iraq will continue to cooperate on economic and security issues, but the withdrawal of US forces will likely lead to a shift in the balance of power in the region.

The US official confirmed that the US expects to complete its pullout by September 30, but declined to say how many troops remain in Iraq or where they would be redeployed. The withdrawal is a significant development in the region, and its impact will be closely watched in the coming months.