The United States has completed the first phase of its military withdrawal from Iraq, marking a significant step toward ending its long-standing troop presence in the country.
By Saturday, U.S. forces had vacated all bases in Iraq’s federal provinces, leaving only their installations in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. This move is part of a phased withdrawal plan negotiated last year between the former Biden administration and Baghdad, which outlined a timetable for the termination of the 11-year-old agreement that allowed U.S. forces to remain in Iraq since their redeployment in 2014 to combat ISIS.
Among the bases handed over to the Iraqi military were the Ain al-Assad Air Base in western Anbar Province and the Victory Base Complex located near Baghdad International Airport. Iraqi media also reported that U.S. forces withdrew from Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone.
While some personnel were relocated to the main U.S. base at Erbil International Airport, most troops have reportedly departed the country entirely, with unconfirmed reports suggesting redeployments to Syria, Kuwait, or Jordan. Iraqi officials expressed surprise at the speed and low profile of the withdrawal, which received minimal coverage in Western media.
Analysts suggest the rapid pullout and lack of detailed coordination with Baghdad reflect U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated goal of reducing America’s military footprint in the Middle East. Although speculation persists about a residual force remaining after the September 2026 deadline to withdraw from Kurdistan, current indications suggest Washington intends a full departure.
At present, the U.S. maintains two primary bases in the Kurdish region: one at Erbil International Airport and another in Hareer, located in Erbil Province. The withdrawal is widely regarded as a political victory for Iran-aligned groups within Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), particularly the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (ISI), which had demanded U.S. forces leave following a series of attacks on American bases after October 7, 2023.
An agreement reached in September 2024 between Baghdad and the ISI paved the way for the current pullout, with the group agreeing to cease hostilities in exchange for a phased U.S. withdrawal. The long-term implications extend beyond Iraq, as the future of American forces in northern Syria remains uncertain. With U.S. troops there reliant on supply routes through Iraq, observers suggest a simultaneous pullout from both Kurdistan and Syria could occur next year, citing the growing difficulty of sustaining operations in the region.