Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declared September 30 as the "fixed and final" deadline to end the military mission of the U.S.-led international coalition in Iraq and complete the withdrawal of all troops. The statement followed a meeting between al-Zaidi and U.S. Central Command chief General Brad Cooper, according to a post from the Iraqi prime minister's office on social media platform X.
"September 30 will be the fixed and final date to end the military mission of the Global Coalition against ISIS in Iraq and complete the withdrawal of forces. October 1 will mark a new day in the development of the Iraqi state, as Iraq will no longer have any foreign military presence," the statement said.
The statement also stressed that placing all weapons under the exclusive control of the state is "an essential prerequisite" for Iraq to enter a new phase of development and prosperity. The two sides agreed on this deadline during talks in mid-July when al-Zaidi visited Washington.
Al-Zaidi and General Cooper emphasized that Iraq-U.S. relations will shift toward economic and security cooperation based on respect for sovereignty and mutual interests.
A U.S. official confirmed to the Associated Press that Washington expects to complete its troop withdrawal before September 30, but declined to disclose the current number of troops in Iraq or where they will be relocated. The official said the U.S., Iraq, and coalition partners have achieved tremendous success in defeating ISIS, and now Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other security forces in the Kurdish region, will lead the fight against terrorism in Iraq.
The U.S. military presence in Iraq dates back to the 2003 war that toppled Saddam Hussein's regime. U.S. troop numbers peaked at more than 170,000 in 2007. In late 2011, the last combat troops left Iraq, but in 2014, ISIS rose and seized vast territory in Iraq and Syria, prompting the U.S. to return at the request of the Iraqi government. After ISIS lost control of territory, coalition military operations ended in 2021.
In 2024, Washington and Baghdad reached an agreement to scale down U.S.-led military operations against ISIS in Iraq. U.S. troops withdrew from bases in most parts of Iraq last year but maintained a presence in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the north. Bases there have been frequently attacked since the U.S. and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran on February 28.
