The U.S. plans to withdraw all its troops from Iraq by the end of September
The U.S. Army plans to complete the withdrawal of all its troops from Iraq by September 30, 2026. This could mark the end of the U.S. military presence in the country, which resumed after American forces returned in 2014 to fight the Islamic State.
In 2024, Washington and Baghdad agreed to gradually scale back U.S. military operations against the “Islamic State.”
In 2025, U.S. troops left bases in most parts of Iraq but maintained a presence in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the north of the country. According to ABC News, these bases were regularly targeted by attacks.
On August 12, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met with Admiral Brad Cooper, who heads U.S. Central Command.
Following the meeting, al-Zaidi stated that September 30 would be the “final and irreversible date” for the conclusion of the Global Coalition’s military mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq and the withdrawal of its troops.
A U.S. official also confirmed to ABC News that Washington expects to complete the withdrawal by September 30. However, he did not specify how many U.S. troops currently remain in the country or where they will be redeployed.
The U.S. side emphasizes the significant successes in the fight against ISIS.
“The U.S., Iran, and coalition partners have achieved tremendous success in defeating ISIS, and now Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other security forces of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, will lead the fight against terrorists in Iraq,” the U.S. representative stated.
According to two Iraqi Kurdish officials, the withdrawal of U.S. troops and equipment from Erbil began about three weeks ago.
The U.S. military presence in Iraq began after the U.S. invasion in 2003 and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s regime.
At the height of the counterterrorism operation in 2007, the U.S. contingent in Iraq numbered more than 170,000 troops.
In December 2011, the last U.S. combat units left the country. However, in 2014, U.S. troops returned at the invitation of the Iraqi government following the rapid rise of the “Islamic State,” which had seized significant territories in Iraq and Syria.
After ISIS lost control of the territories it had seized, the international coalition’s combat operation in Iraq ended in 2021. At the same time, the U.S. left about 2,500 troops in the country to train Iraqi forces and conduct joint counterterrorism operations.
This was reported by ABC News.
Currently, the United States and Iran remain at odds over ending the war in the Middle East. A high-ranking Iranian source reported that there has been no progress in negotiations to restore the interim agreement signed in June.
As a reminder, U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed American negotiators to demand compensation from Iran for the dead and wounded—whom he links to Tehran’s actions—during any future negotiations between the countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would demand compensation from Iran as part of future negotiations on ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to Euronews, the talks have reached an impasse, and the new U.S. demands could complicate the prospects for a swift agreement.
Trump has stated his willingness to rely on economic pressure against Iran.
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