US forces to quit Iraq by Wednesday after two decades as Iran claims victory
American troops are set to leave their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, ending a mission that began with the 2003 invasion. Iran and its allies are celebrating; Iraqi officials warn Islamic State may exploit the gap.
US forces are set to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, ending more than two decades of American military presence in the country, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
The withdrawal was agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and is being carried out by Donald Trump’s administration — even as the United States wages war against Iran. Around 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war in Iraq.
Iran and its allies are celebrating the departure as a victory. Abu Mojtaba al-Yasiri, a commander in the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, told Reuters it was “a historic victory for the Iraqi Islamic resistance groups and honorable Iraqis, and a crushing defeat for the American project”, adding: “On September 30, we will celebrate the turning of a black page in Iraq’s history.”
Iranian lawmaker Amir Hayat Moqaddam said on Monday that “lasting security will prevail in Iraq” once the Americans leave, and that Tehran “welcomes the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and will undoubtedly support it.”
But Iraqi security officials fear the withdrawal is premature. Kurdish commander Sirwan Barzani told Reuters that Islamic State sleeper cells had stirred since the pullout was announced, while security official Khalid al-Bayati said the militants were “seeking to send a message that the group is still powerful”. Iraqi officials told the German Press Agency that all US forces and logistics teams had fully withdrawn, with Iraqi forces taking control.
American troops invaded Iraq in 2003, left in 2011 and returned in 2014 to fight Islamic State. Reuters noted that seven of the 18 US service members killed in this year’s war against Iran died in Iraq.
Sources
- Reuters, “US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran”, 29 September 2026 — https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-iran-2026-09-29/
- Channel 8, “Coalition Forces Hand Over Bases Ahead of Iraq Deadline” — https://channel8.com/english/news/66636
- Punch/Associated Press/The National reporting on the September 30 deadline — https://punchng.com/us-completes-military-withdrawal-from-iraq/
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