Last UK and US troops leave Iraq as anti-Islamic State mission ends

British and American troops have departed Iraq after a decade-long mission to combat the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, signaling the conclusion of Operation Inherent Resolve. The final contingent of UK military personnel, numbering around 100, withdrew from Irbil, the northern Kurdistan region, in coordination with US forces who also exited the country on Wednesday.

This departure followed an agreement between the US and Iraqi government, signed two years ago, requiring the withdrawal of all foreign troops by the end of the month.

The mission, which began in 2014, involved US and British forces assisting Iraq in defeating the IS group, a coalition known as Operation Inherent Resolve. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declared that the end of this coalition mission represented "Iraq’s transition to a phase where it assumes full responsibility for its security and stability." To commemorate this significant event, Iraq will observe four "Sovereignty Days" as national holidays.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) attributed the success of the mission to the capabilities of Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Kurdish Peshmerga, who have achieved a "lasting territorial defeat of Daesh in Iraq." The MoD noted that these forces are now well-equipped to take primary responsibility for the country's security following more than a decade of operations, training, and capacity building.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell echoed this sentiment, stating that the coalition's departure from Irbil marked the successful conclusion of the military mission that had defeated IS in Iraq.