{
  "id": 10907292,
  "title": "US military says withdrawal of troops from Iraq is complete",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/us-military-says-withdrawal-of-troops-from-iraq-is-complete",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T09:09:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/us-military-says-withdrawal-of-troops-from-iraq-is-complete-1.500693322"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Baghdad: The US military has officially completed its withdrawal of troops from Iraq, concluding a 12-year mission aimed at combating the Daesh (Islamic State) group. The final US personnel departed from their last air base in northern Iraq, as stipulated by an agreement between the governments of Baghdad and Washington. This move, occurring amidst an ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, has been hailed by Baghdad as a testament to the nation's growing strength and sovereignty.\n\nThe Pentagon announced that the US military and equipment had completed their departure from the Irbil air base in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Despite the overall positive reception, some Iraqi factions, especially those in the Kurdish region, have expressed concerns. The Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, stated that a limited number of US military advisers will remain to address the Daesh threat in Syria.\n\nIraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi presided over the handover ceremony, viewing the withdrawal as the start of a new era defined by Iraq's sovereignty, robust institutions, and strong security forces. He emphasized this transition from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort underpinned by a more conventional bilateral security relationship.\n\nThe US presence in Iraq was initially established in 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein, but was reduced to a smaller force in 2011 solely for the purpose of fighting the Islamic State group, which had taken control of significant territories. In 2024, the US and Iraq agreed to end the mission as the extremist group had dwindled to isolated cells. The US troops had already begun their withdrawal from most parts of Iraq last year but maintained a small contingent in the Kurdish region, a location frequently targeted by attacks from Iran-backed militias and Israel.\n\nInitially, the Sept. 30 deadline for the US withdrawal was tied to the disarmament of non-state armed groups. However, the Iraqi government later deferred this deadline to June 2027. The departure's long-term effects may not be immediately apparent due to the already reduced US military presence. However, Iraqi Kurdish officials have expressed apprehension about the withdrawal, particularly the absence of US air defense systems. The Kurdish regional government's Peshmerga Ministry highlighted that their region has been subjected to over 1,000 drone and ballistic missile attacks during the recent US-Iran conflict. A statement from the ministry expressed concern about the departure without a defense system.\n\nOn the other hand, Iran-allied groups within Iraq have welcomed the US withdrawal, with Abu Mujahid Al Assaf, a security official from the influential Kataib Hezbollah militia, declaring the expulsion of the US forces as a step towards full Iraqi sovereignty. He cautioned the Iraqi government against any actions that may not serve the interests of the people, threatening that such a government would face overthrow.",
  "summary": "Baghdad: The US military announced on Wednesday that it has completed the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission to fight the Daesh (Islamic State) group. The last US troops left the last air base where they had been present in northern Iraq under an agreement between Baghdad and Washington. The move, which came in the midst of an ongoing war between the United States and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al Majalla English",
        "title": "US troops leave Iraq and Syria, but double down in the region",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/us-troops-leave-iraq-and-syria-but-double-down-in-the-region",
        "published": "2026-09-30T07:10:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Iraq is reclaiming its sovereignty, but the real power struggle will start after the Americans leave",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/iraq-is-reclaiming-its-sovereignty-but-the-real-power-struggle-will",
        "published": "2026-09-30T08:30:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RFI English",
        "title": "US troops wrap up Iraq mission 12 years after Islamic State offensive",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/us-troops-wrap-up-iraq-mission-12-years-after-islamic-state-offensive",
        "published": "2026-09-30T10:29:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}