After 23 years, US to pull out last troops from Iraq by September 30

The United States is on track to withdraw all its remaining troops from Iraq by September 30, officials from both nations have confirmed. This marks the end of a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met with US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper on Wednesday, reaffirming the September 30 date. He described it as the "fixed and final date" for concluding the Global Coalition's military mission against ISIS in Iraq. A US official confirmed the withdrawal plan but did not specify troop numbers or redeployment locations.

The US-led coalition ended its combat operations in 2011 after ISIS lost its territorial control, though approximately 2,500 US troops remained to provide training and counterterrorism support. US forces had previously withdrawn combat troops in 2011, but returned in 2014 at the Iraqi government's invitation when ISIS seized significant territory.

This planned exit coincides with Iraq's push to disarm non-state militias. Prime Minister al-Zaidi has set the same September 30 deadline for these groups to surrender their weapons, arguing they will have no justification to remain armed after foreign forces depart. However, reports suggest this deadline may be difficult to meet, as some powerful Iran-backed militias have rejected the idea, and others have historically cited the US troop presence as a reason for maintaining their arsenals.

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fixed and final date