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US military finally withdraws from Iraq

2026-01-19 11:07:37Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
US military finally withdraws from Iraq

The Iraqi government has announced that US forces have completed a full withdrawal from all military facilities in the country's federal territory, with the exception of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, where the US presence continues.

The Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced that the last contingent of American advisors has left Al-Asad Air Base, in Anbar province, in the west of the country.

The base had hosted US troops for more than two decades. The withdrawal follows a gradual process that began years ago, after the Iraqi government formally asked the US to reduce its military presence by 2023.

According to the official statement, the US-led coalition fighting ISIS has also withdrawn from the headquarters of the Joint Operations Command, fully handing over control to Iraqi security forces.

However, US forces remain stationed at Harir Air Base in Erbil province, which is located in the Kurdistan Region. The region enjoys autonomous federal status, with its own governing institutions and security forces, recognized by the Iraqi Constitution, and is not fully controlled by the central government in Baghdad.

The US military presence in Iraq has fluctuated greatly since the 2003 invasion. At its peak, the US had about 170,000 troops in the country. In 2011, the administration of former President Barack Obama ordered the withdrawal of forces, but about 5,000 troops returned in 2014, at the request of the Iraqi government, to help fight ISIS.

Since December 2021, when the US announced the end of its combat role in Iraq, about 2,500 US troops have remained in the country in an advisory and support role.

The Iraqi Defense Ministry released video footage Saturday showing senior Iraqi military commanders inspecting now-empty premises inside the Al-Asad Air Base. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense's Central Command confirmed to CNN that Baghdad's statement on the base's surrender was "factual."

The withdrawal comes amid high regional tensions between the US and Iran, at a time when US President Donald Trump is considering military options against Tehran, amid violent protests against the Iranian regime.

Al-Asad base has been the target of frequent attacks by Iranian-backed groups. In January 2020, Iran launched ballistic missiles at the base in retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad. The attack lasted about two hours and mainly targeted areas where US forces were deployed.


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