Iraqi FM confirms US troop withdrawal to be completed in 2026

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has confirmed that the process of withdrawing American troops from Iraq is expected to be completed in 2026.

Speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters, Hussein said the timeline depends on the agreement reached between Baghdad and Washington.

“This process depends on the agreement reached between the Iraqi government and the US administration. So, step by step, they are withdrawing their troops, and I think the final withdrawal date will be next year,” he stated.

On September 18, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani stressed that the country’s authorities were capable of maintaining internal stability and defending national territory without the assistance of the Western coalition led by the United States. According to him, the US “has no reason” to keep a military contingent in Iraq, since the active phase of the fight against the Islamic State (IS) has already ended.

In July, al-Sudani announced that the international coalition would conclude its mission in Iraq in September 2026. He explained that Baghdad is holding negotiations with coalition members to “transition to bilateral relations in the field of security.”

Calls for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq have been longstanding. On January 5, 2020, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution demanding the complete removal of all foreign military personnel from the country. In March 2021, Iraqi officials reported that the number of US troops in Iraq did not exceed 2,500. Later, on December 22, 2021, the General Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces declared that the international coalition had formally completed its troop withdrawal operation but maintained a limited presence in the form of military advisers.

The US-led coalition was created in 2014 to combat the Islamic State terrorist organisation in Iraq and Syria under Operation Inherent Resolve. Between 2014 and 2019, coalition aircraft carried out about 35,000 airstrikes against IS military infrastructure. In addition, American aircraft carriers stationed in the Mediterranean Sea launched missile attacks against terrorist positions.

By Tamilla Hasanova