Last US troops leave Iraq as Iran celebrates
End of a long presence
The US military announced on Wednesday that it had completed the withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission against the Islamic State group. The last forces left bases in Erbil in northern Iraq. The departure follows a 2024 agreement between Baghdad and the Biden administration, which the Trump administration chose to honour. At its peak the US had about 170,000 troops in Iraq before the 2011 withdrawal, and roughly 5,000 returned in 2014 at Baghdad's request to help fight Islamic State. President Trump hailed the end of what he described as a costly excursion.
Iran and allies celebrate
Iran welcomed the exit and cast it as a victory for its "axis of resistance" of allied armed groups. Iran-backed militias had repeatedly attacked US bases, particularly after Washington and Israel launched war on Iran in February. Of the 18 US service members killed in that war, seven died in Iraq. More than 4,500 Americans died during the two decades of conflict in the country.
Kurdish fears and security vacuum
Kurdish officials in northern Iraq voiced alarm, saying Iran has fired around 1,000 ballistic missiles at their territory since late February. Security experts warn that the withdrawal could give Tehran and its allies free rein while allowing Islamic State to stage a comeback.
Diplomacy continues
The exit coincides with Iran saying it received a US response to its latest proposal to revive the collapsed Gulf ceasefire. Tehran says it hopes to restore the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.
