Iraq Announces Completion of American Troop Withdrawal from Its Territory Except for One Base

- The Iraqi government announced on Sunday that American forces have completely withdrawn from military facilities within federal territory, except for the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, where American forces are still present. The Iraqi Ministry of Defense stated that the last batch of American advisors left Al-Asad Airbase in Anbar province, western Iraq, which hosted American forces for more than two decades.

American forces began to gradually reduce their presence over several years, based on a request from the Iraqi government in 2023. The Iraqi Ministry of Defense's statement added that the U.S.-led coalition to fight the Islamic State (ISIS) also withdrew from the Joint Operations Command headquarters, leaving the facilities under the full control of Iraqi security forces.

American forces are still present at Harir Airbase in Erbil province, in the Kurdistan region. The central Iraqi government does not fully control the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, as it is a federal region with autonomous governance, having its own government, parliament, and security forces, recognized under the Iraqi constitution.

The American military presence in Iraq has seen significant fluctuations since the invasion of the country in 2003. At its peak, the number of American troops in Iraq reached 170,000 soldiers.

In 2011, former U.S. President Barack Obama withdrew American forces from the country. In 2014, about 5,000 soldiers were deployed to Iraq at the request of the Iraqi government, which sought American assistance in the war against ISIS.

Since December 2021, when the U.S. military announced the end of its combat role in the country, there have been about 2,500 American soldiers in Iraq to provide advice and assistance. The Iraqi Ministry of Defense released a video on Saturday showing senior Iraqi military leaders walking through empty halls and corridors inside Ain al-Asad Airbase.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) told Afaaq News on Sunday that "the previous statement from the Iraqi Ministry of Defense regarding the handover was accurate," without providing further details. The withdrawal comes amid regional tensions between the United States and Iran, as U.S. President Donald Trump considers whether to strike Iran amid bloody protests in the streets against the authoritarian regime in the country.

American forces stationed at Ain al-Asad Airbase have faced repeated attacks over the years from Iran and Iran-backed groups. In January 2020, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on U.S. forces at Ain al-Asad in retaliation for a drone strike at Baghdad Airport that killed Qassem Soleimani, the most powerful Iranian military commander and former head of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard.

The heavy bombardment lasted for about two hours, targeting only the American areas of the joint base. Following the attacks that occurred on October 7, 2023, in Israel, Iran-aligned militias launched a series of missile attacks on Ain al-Asad Airbase.

In August 2024, five American soldiers and two American contractors were injured in the attack. Iraqi officials stated on Sunday that their armed forces, across various branches, possess sufficient capabilities to secure the country, and future cooperation with the United States will focus on training, equipment purchases, joint maneuvers, and operational coordination under bilateral agreements.

While Iraq considers the mission of the international coalition to be over on its territory, officials indicated that coalition operations against ISIS and other terrorist groups continue in Syria. Baghdad expects logistical support to pass through the coalition's airbase in Erbil, and has not ruled out launching joint American-Iraqi operations against ISIS from the Ain al-Asad base if deemed necessary.

The American withdrawal may strengthen the government's position in negotiations regarding the disarmament of non-governmental armed groups, as some Iran-backed militias have cited the American presence to justify retaining their weapons. Militias such as Kata'ib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, which are among the strongest armed groups in Iraq and have been classified by the United States as 'terrorist entities', have rejected disarmament.

They stated that they would not hand over their weapons until Iraq fully regains its sovereignty, including the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq. No immediate comments were made by the militias regarding the announcement.

Despite many of them being officially integrated into the Popular Mobilization Forces, they remain influential actors in the security, political, and economic fields in Iraq.