US FORCES COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ AS AMERICAN MILITARY MISSION ENDS AFTER MORE THAN TWO DECADES

By Iroyin Yoruba Television

The United States has completed the withdrawal of its remaining forces from Iraq, bringing an end to more than two decades of American military involvement in the country and formally closing the latest chapter of the international campaign against the Islamic State.

The final withdrawal was completed on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, after U.S. forces departed their remaining bases in Iraq. The development marks the end of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led international military mission established to fight the Islamic State and support Iraqi security forces.

The departure represents a major change in Iraq's security environment. Iraqi forces are now expected to assume full responsibility for the country's security, although cooperation with the United States will continue through a bilateral framework involving training, intelligence and other forms of security assistance.

The American military presence in Iraq has undergone several major transformations since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

END OF A LONG MILITARY PRESENCE

The United States invaded Iraq in March 2003 and overthrew President Saddam Hussein's government.

The invasion was followed by years of insurgency, sectarian violence and political instability. American forces eventually withdrew in 2011, formally ending the original U.S. military occupation.

The American military returned to Iraq several years later after the Islamic State captured large areas of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

The extremist organisation seized Mosul and other territories and declared a self-styled caliphate. Its rapid territorial expansion prompted an international military response led by the United States.

Operation Inherent Resolve became the principal framework for the international campaign against the group.

American forces supported Iraqi troops with air operations, intelligence, training and logistical assistance while Iraqi ground forces conducted operations to retake territory.

The territorial defeat of Islamic State significantly reduced the group's ability to control large areas of Iraq, although the organisation did not disappear.

IRAQI FORCES TAKE FULL SECURITY RESPONSIBILITY

The completion of the withdrawal means Iraqi security forces will now carry primary responsibility for protecting the country's territory without the presence of American combat forces.

Iraq has spent years developing its military and security institutions through training and operational experience gained during the campaign against Islamic State.

The country's security forces include the Iraqi Army, federal police, counterterrorism forces and other formations responsible for different aspects of internal and national security.

The challenge after the withdrawal will be maintaining coordination among these institutions while dealing with remaining threats from armed groups.

Islamic State no longer controls major territory in Iraq, but the organisation has continued to operate through smaller networks and sleeper cells.

Its remaining fighters have conducted attacks and attempted to exploit gaps in security, particularly in remote and rural areas.

The Iraqi government therefore faces the task of maintaining counterterrorism capabilities even after the departure of the foreign military coalition.

CONCERNS ABOUT A POSSIBLE SECURITY GAP

The withdrawal has generated different reactions inside and outside Iraq.

Some Iraqis have welcomed the departure of foreign troops as a restoration of national sovereignty.

The end of the U.S.-led military presence also reflects a long-standing desire among parts of Iraqi society and political leadership for greater control over national security decisions.

At the same time, security officials and analysts have raised concerns about whether the absence of American military capabilities could create new opportunities for armed groups.

The United States has provided Iraq with intelligence, surveillance, logistical support and other military capabilities that have assisted Iraqi operations against Islamic State.

The removal of those capabilities creates a new test for Iraqi security institutions.

The extent to which Iraq can independently maintain intelligence collection, border security, counterterrorism operations and rapid military responses will be closely watched.

IRAN'S INFLUENCE

The American withdrawal also changes the regional balance of power.

Iran has maintained strong political, economic and security relationships with several Iraqi political and armed groups since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Iranian-backed militias have become important actors within Iraq's political and security environment.

The departure of American forces removes one of the most significant foreign military presences that has served as a counterweight to Iran's influence in the country.

Iran and allied groups have described the withdrawal as an important development for Iraq's sovereignty.

However, the long-term effect on Iraq's political and security balance will depend on how the Iraqi government manages relationships with different armed and political factions.

The government must also maintain its authority over national security institutions and prevent competing armed groups from operating independently of the state.

THE ISLAMIC STATE THREAT

Although Islamic State lost its territorial control in Iraq, the organisation remains a security concern.

Its remaining networks have adopted a different operational model, relying more heavily on small cells, ambushes and attacks rather than conventional control of towns and cities.

The group has previously taken advantage of political instability, weak security arrangements and difficult terrain to maintain a presence.

Iraqi security forces will therefore continue to face the challenge of identifying and disrupting these networks.

The withdrawal of U.S. forces does not mean that counterterrorism cooperation between Iraq and the United States has necessarily ended.

The new relationship is expected to place greater emphasis on bilateral cooperation rather than the previous multinational military operation.

That distinction could allow Iraq to maintain access to American expertise and support while exercising greater control over its own security operations.

A NEW PHASE FOR US-IRAQ RELATIONS

The withdrawal also provides an opportunity for the United States and Iraq to redefine their relationship.

For more than two decades, security issues dominated relations between Washington and Baghdad.

The two countries now have the opportunity to expand their relationship beyond the presence of foreign troops.

Economic cooperation, trade, education, diplomatic engagement and technical assistance could become more prominent areas of bilateral relations.

For Iraq, maintaining a constructive relationship with the United States could provide access to international investment, training and diplomatic support.

For Washington, a bilateral relationship could allow continued engagement with Iraq without maintaining a large military footprint.

The future relationship will nevertheless depend on how both countries manage disagreements over security, regional alliances and Iran's influence.

A SYMBOLIC END TO THE POST-2003 ERA

The withdrawal carries considerable symbolic importance because the American military presence has been closely associated with Iraq's post-2003 history.

The U.S. invasion changed Iraq's political system and contributed to years of conflict.

The subsequent withdrawal in 2011 was followed by the emergence of Islamic State and the eventual return of American forces.

The completion of the current withdrawal therefore represents another major transition.

Unlike the 2011 withdrawal, the latest departure takes place after years of cooperation between American and Iraqi forces against Islamic State.

The Iraqi government now faces the responsibility of ensuring that the security gains achieved during the international campaign are maintained.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE WITHDRAWAL?

The immediate priority for Iraq will be maintaining security across the country while preventing militant organisations from exploiting the transition.

Border areas, rural regions and locations where Islamic State previously maintained networks will require continued attention.

The government will also need to ensure effective coordination between federal security institutions and regional authorities.

Another important issue is the role of armed groups outside the conventional state security structure.

Iraq's ability to maintain a stable security environment will partly depend on whether political and military actors operate within the authority of national institutions.

The United States, meanwhile, is expected to maintain a relationship with Iraq that is less dependent on permanent military deployment.

The end of the military mission does not erase the extensive relationship developed between the two countries since 2003.

Instead, it marks a transition from a relationship heavily defined by military operations to one that can increasingly be structured around diplomacy and bilateral cooperation.

A MAJOR TEST FOR IRAQ

The completion of the U.S. withdrawal places Iraq at the centre of responsibility for its own security.

The country has developed considerably since the height of the Islamic State conflict, but security challenges remain.

The continued presence of militant cells, the influence of armed factions and the broader rivalry between Iran and the United States all create complications for Baghdad.

Iraq will therefore have to balance several competing interests while strengthening the authority of its national institutions.

The success of the transition will depend not simply on the departure of foreign troops but on the ability of Iraqi institutions to prevent a return to the large-scale insecurity that followed the collapse of state authority after 2003.

For the United States, the withdrawal ends the latest phase of a military commitment that has lasted more than two decades and involved thousands of American military personnel over different periods.

For Iraq, it begins a new period in which national security responsibility rests primarily with Iraqi institutions.

The withdrawal is consequently both a military development and a significant political and security transition for the country.

With American troops now gone, Iraq's ability to maintain stability, contain remaining Islamic State networks and manage the influence of armed groups will determine how the post-withdrawal period develops.

The next phase of the U.S.-Iraq relationship will be shaped less by the presence of American troops and more by diplomacy, security cooperation, economic relations and Iraq's ability to maintain an independent national security structure.