Iraq announces deal with US for troop withdrawal by 2026
US Army Soldiers board a CH-47 Chinook helicopter after a live-fire exercise at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, in July 2023. (Photo via US Army)
Iraq and the United States have reached an agreement to withdraw most American troops from Iraq by 2026, with a small force remaining in the northern region.
The deal was disclosed this week by both American and Iraqi officials.
US to withdraw most troops from Iraq in two stages over next 2 years
Recently in an interview with Al-Arabiya Iraqi Defense Minister Thabit al-Abbasi confirmed that the agreement would phase out the current U.S.-led military mission, known as Operation Inherent Resolve, which was launched over a decade ago to combat the Daesh terrorist organization in Iraq and Syria.
The roughly 2,500 U.S. troops now stationed in Iraq will be withdrawn in two stages over the next two years.
“We have agreed to end the mission of the U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq in two stages. The first phase will commence this year and continue until 2025, while the second phase will conclude in 2026,” Abbasi stated.
While the majority of U.S. forces will depart, a small residual force will remain in Iraq’s northern region.
This force will reportedly focus on countering the influence of Iranian-backed militias, which remain a concern for the U.S.
Transition into sustainable security partnership
Defense Minister al-Abbasi emphasized that the agreement represents a shift toward a “sustainable security partnership” between Iraq and the Iraq U.S. troop withdrawal, indicating that while the U.S. military presence will be reduced, cooperation on security matters will continue.
The U.S. aims to maintain some military presence in Iraq to support its operations in Syria, where around 900 U.S. troops are stationed.
Recently the Iraqi Foreign Ministry released a statement about the withdrawal announcement has been postponed due to unspecified “recent developments.”
“There are no U.S. forces in Iraq except for military advisors under the umbrella of the Global Coalition, these advisors are included in the outcomes of the Higher Military Commission work, and both parties are committed to the followed mechanisms and their outcomes,” the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said.
