The United States has completed its military withdrawal from Iraq after more than two decades of involvement in the country.
The final American forces left Erbil Air Base on September 30, 2026, ending the US military mission in Iraq.
The move closes a major chapter that began with the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.
American forces first left Iraq in 2011 after the military mission was declared complete.
However, they returned three years later after Iraq requested help against ISIS.
The militant group had captured large parts of Iraq after Iraqi security forces collapsed in several areas.
US forces later worked with Iraqi troops and Kurdish fighters during the campaign against ISIS.
The group was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, although ISIS remnants remained active.
With the latest US military withdrawal from Iraq, Iraqi forces now take primary responsibility for the country’s security.
The US-led coalition mission has also moved its headquarters from Iraq to Jordan.
American forces will continue counterterrorism operations against ISIS in Syria, according to current reports.
At a ceremony in Baghdad, Iraqi leaders and US commanders marked the end of the mission.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi described the moment as the start of a new phase for the country.
“A new phase has begun, characterized by Iraq’s sovereignty, the strength of its institutions, the readiness of its forces, the unity of its decision-making, and balanced partnerships with its friends,” he said.
The withdrawal has also raised questions about Iraq’s security future.
Some analysts and Iraqi officials are concerned about ISIS sleeper cells and the influence of Iran-backed armed groups.
Iran-backed groups have welcomed the departure, while some have demanded further changes in Iraq’s relationship with Washington.
The US invasion also left a lasting impact on Iraq, with hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths recorded by monitoring groups.
More than 4,400 US military personnel were also killed during the Iraq war, according to the supplied information.
Today, many younger Iraqis have no personal memory of the American military presence.
The end of the mission therefore marks a major turning point for Iraq and its security forces.
