Iraq confirms full US military withdrawal from federal territory

Iraq’s government announced on Sunday, 18 January 2026, that United States forces have completed a full withdrawal from military facilities within the country’s federal territory, excluding the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region where US troops remain.

The Iraqi Ministry of Defense said the final group of US military advisers departed from Al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province in western Iraq, ending more than two decades of US presence at the site. The US-led coalition also withdrew from the Joint Operations Command headquarters, placing both installations under the full control of Iraqi security forces.

US Central Command confirmed that the Iraqi government’s announcement regarding the handover of the bases was accurate, but did not provide further details.

US forces continue to operate from Harir Air Base in Erbil province, located in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, which functions as an autonomous federal entity with its own government, parliament, and security forces under the Iraqi constitution.

The withdrawal follows a 2024 agreement between Baghdad and Washington outlining the end of the US-led coalition’s mission in Iraq by the end of 2025, with a later timeline extending to September 2026 for the Kurdistan region.

US troop levels in Iraq have fluctuated significantly since the 2003 invasion. At the height of the war, around 170,000 US troops were deployed. Former US President Barack Obama ordered a full withdrawal in 2011, but approximately 5,000 troops returned in 2014 at the request of the Iraqi government to assist in the fight against the Islamic State group.

In December 2021, the US military formally ended its combat role in Iraq, shifting to an advisory and assistance mission involving roughly 2,500 troops.

Iraqi officials said the country’s armed forces are now fully capable of securing national territory and preventing the resurgence of Islamic State. Future cooperation with the United States will focus on training, equipment acquisition, joint exercises, and operational coordination under bilateral agreements.

While Iraq considers the coalition’s mission concluded within its borders, officials noted that coalition operations against Islamic State continue in Syria. Baghdad said logistical support for those operations would pass through the coalition’s air base in Erbil and did not rule out joint US-Iraqi counter-ISIS operations launched from Al-Asad if necessary.

The withdrawal comes amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran. Al-Asad Air Base has been targeted multiple times over the years by Iran and Iran-backed groups. In January 2020, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on the base in retaliation for the US killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. More recent attacks occurred after the 7 October 2023, Israel-Hamas conflict, including an August 2024 strike that injured five US service members and two contractors.

Iraqi officials said the departure of US forces may strengthen the government’s position in negotiations over the disarmament of non-state armed groups. Several Iran-backed militias, including Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, have said they would only lay down their weapons once all foreign forces leave Iraq.