U.S. Military Completes 12-Year Mission, Withdraws Troops from Iraq
The U.S. military has completed its withdrawal of troops from Iraq, concluding a 12-year mission focused on combating the Islamic State group. The final U.S. troops departed from an air base in Irbil, located in the northern Kurdish region of…
Houston, TX, September 30, 2026 —
The United States military has concluded its troop withdrawal from Iraq, marking the end of a 12-year mission. The operation was primarily focused on combating the Islamic State (ISIS) group within the region.
The final contingent of U.S. troops departed from an air base situated in Irbil, a city located in the northern Kurdish region of Iraq. This departure is in accordance with an agreement previously established between the governments of Baghdad and Washington.
The mission’s conclusion signals a significant shift in the U.S. military’s presence in the Middle East. Over its 12-year duration, the U.S. military’s involvement in Iraq evolved through various phases, including initial deployment, training and advising Iraqi forces, and counter-terrorism operations against groups like ISIS.
Details regarding the exact number of troops involved in the final withdrawal or the specific timeline of the mission’s phased reduction were not provided in the summary. The agreement between Iraq and the U.S. stipulated the terms and conditions under which the military presence would cease.
The presence of U.S. forces in Iraq has been a complex and ongoing issue, subject to political developments and security assessments throughout the years. The initial deployment followed the 2003 invasion, and subsequent phases involved training Iraqi security forces to combat an insurgency and later, the rise of ISIS. The culmination of this withdrawal signifies the end of a prolonged military engagement aimed at stabilizing the country and countering extremist threats.
Story summarized from the original created by Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press on www.click2houston.com, see more information here.
