US-led coalition ends anti-Islamic State mission in Iraq amid heightened regional tensions and security fears
The US-led force has been operating in Iraq for 12 years to dismantle ISIS networks which had threatened to takeover the region and plunge it into instability.
On Wednesday, the US-led coalition that had been fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria for over a decade withdrew from Iraq, marking the end of their mission. The coalition, which included the United States, partnered with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and other Iraqi factions. Despite the coalition's success in defeating ISIS in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, the decision to withdraw was met with mixed reactions.
US President Donald Trump hailed the move as a victory for the United States and Iraq, while others expressed concerns that the pullout might embolden pro-Iran factions and draw Iraq deeper into regional conflicts. The Iraqi government, however, believed that the withdrawal would deprive Iran-backed factions of a pretext to retain their weapons.
With several pro-Iran groups refusing to disarm, tensions remain high, and negotiations are underway to reach a compromise.
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- Watch: Iraq says security forces ready as US-led coalition mission ends middleeasteye.net
