Pentagon Says US Troop Withdrawal From Iraq Is Complete

The Pentagon announced that the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq has been completed, bringing to a close roughly two decades of American military presence in the country, according to Al Jazeera.

The US-led military intervention in Iraq began in 2003 and, over the following twenty years, evolved through multiple phases, including the initial invasion, a lengthy counterinsurgency campaign, a formal withdrawal in 2011, and a subsequent return of forces in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group, also known as ISIL, after it seized large swaths of Iraqi and Syrian territory.

US officials have periodically emphasized that Iraqi security forces have developed sufficient capacity to maintain internal security and continue operations against remaining ISIL cells without a permanent American troop presence. The Pentagon's announcement suggests that the final phase of the drawdown, agreed upon in prior negotiations between Washington and Baghdad, has now been carried out.

The withdrawal reflects a broader shift in US military posture in the Middle East, as Washington has sought to reduce its footprint in some long-standing deployments while continuing to monitor regional threats, including from Iran-aligned groups operating in Iraq and Syria.

Iraqi officials have not yet issued a detailed statement on the completed withdrawal or on future security arrangements between Baghdad and Washington.