Baghdad (TDI): Iraq has marked the formal conclusion of the US-led coalition’s military mission in the country, with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi describing the withdrawal as the beginning of a new phase centered on national sovereignty and stronger state institutions.
The coalition was established in 2014 after the Islamic State (IS) seized large areas of Iraq and Syria. Although Iraqi and coalition-backed forces recaptured IS-held territory in Iraq by 2017 and in Syria by 2019, coalition personnel remained in the region to support operations against the group’s remnants.
Washington and Baghdad agreed in 2024 to gradually wind down the coalition’s mission in Iraq. Coalition forces subsequently withdrew from several bases, with their remaining presence becoming concentrated in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.
The Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday that Operation Inherent Resolve had formally concluded in Iraq, in line with the September 2024 US-Iraq joint statement.
The US Department of Defense said Washington would continue providing targeted training and intelligence support to Iraqi security partners.
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Prime Minister Zaidi welcomed the end of the mission, saying Iraq had entered a new stage defined by sovereignty, institutional strength and greater national control over security decisions.
“A new phase has begun, defined by Iraq’s sovereignty, the strength of its institutions, the readiness of its forces, unity of decision-making, and balanced partnerships with its friends,” Zaidi said at a ceremony marking the occasion.
The Iraqi government has also designated October 1 as Sovereignty Day, describing it as a national occasion marking what officials called the completion of Iraq’s path toward sovereignty and strengthening the authority of state institutions.
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Iraq’s executive, legislative and judicial leaders said the state must also address the presence of weapons outside government control according to timelines established by the government.
The issue remains particularly sensitive because several powerful armed factions maintain weapons and political influence outside the direct control of Baghdad.
