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U.S. ends 12-year anti-ISIS mission in Iraq with final troop withdrawal
The United States and its coalition partners formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq on September 30, 2026, ending a 12-year military campaign against the Islamic State. The Pentagon confirmed the orderly departure of all coalition forces and equipment from the country, with Iraq's government assuming primary responsibility for counterterrorism efforts while the U.S. continues to provide targeted training and intelligence support.
Quick Facts
- Operation Inherent Resolve formally concluded
- Coalition forces and equipment departed from Erbil Air Base
- Transition from wartime coalition mission to Iraqi-led security effort
- Pentagon announced orderly withdrawal completion
- Iraqi Prime Minister announced conclusion of international coalition mission
The United States and its coalition allies formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq on September 30, 2026, marking the end of a 12-year military campaign against the Islamic State that began in 2014. The Pentagon confirmed the orderly departure of all coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base in Iraqi Kurdistan, completing a phased withdrawal that had been negotiated between Washington and Baghdad.
Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell stated that primary responsibility for Iraq's remaining security challenges now rests with the Iraqi government and its security forces, including the Peshmerga and other Kurdish regional forces. The statement emphasized that the United States will continue to provide "targeted training and intelligence support" to Iraqi partners and remains committed to counterterrorism efforts. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the conclusion of the international coalition's mission on the same day.
President Trump confirmed the withdrawal in a statement, calling Operation Inherent Resolve "a very expensive excursion into hell" and characterizing the orderly departure as "a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS." Trump contrasted the Iraq withdrawal with the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, noting that the Iraq operation concluded with military equipment and forces removed in an organized manner.
The timeline of the operation reflects shifting security dynamics in Iraq. In 2014, the U.S. and allies launched the campaign following the Islamic State's territorial expansion in Iraq and Syria. Iraq's government declared the country fully liberated from ISIS at the end of 2017. A 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad set September 30, 2026, as the firm deadline for completing the coalition's military mission and troop withdrawal. In January 2026, the coalition had already withdrawn from federal Iraqi bases, maintaining presence only in Kurdistan until the final deadline.
Why This Matters
The formal end of Operation Inherent Resolve shifts primary counterterrorism responsibility to the Iraqi government and its security forces after 12 years of U.S.-led coalition presence. This transition affects regional security posture, U.S. military deployment planning, Iraq's capacity to manage internal security threats independently, and ongoing intelligence-sharing arrangements between Washington and Baghdad. The withdrawal also alters U.S. military footprint in the Middle East and marks a measurable change in the timeline of American military commitments in the region.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2014
WireUnited States and allies launch Operation Inherent Resolve to combat Islamic State in Iraq and Syria
Related Signals
Sources
- US Formally Concludes Operation Inherent Resolve in IraqbloombergWireSep 30, 2026
- Urgent: U.S.-led coalition concludes anti-IS operation in Iraq: PentagonxinhuaMediaSep 30, 2026
- U.S.-led coalition concludes anti-IS operation in Iraq: PentagonxinhuaMediaSep 30, 2026
- US officially concludes Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq: what is knowntassMediaSep 30, 2026
- Trump confirms US troop withdrawal from Iraq, calls operation 'excursion into hell'tassMediaSep 30, 2026
- US formally concludes mission in IraqcgtnMediaSep 30, 2026