US Formally Ends Military Presence in Iraq After 23 Years

The United States has ended its military presence in Iraq, concluding a deployment that spanned 23 years since American forces first entered the country, according to a timeline of the withdrawal.

The departure marks the conclusion of a 12-year mission against ISIS, also known as Daesh, which was launched in 2014 after American forces had already withdrawn from Iraq once before. The renewed deployment followed the rise of ISIS in the region, prompting the return of US troops to support operations against the group.

Over more than two decades of involvement, the US military presence in Iraq passed through several distinct phases: an initial deployment and years-long presence, a full withdrawal, and then a second deployment focused specifically on countering ISIS starting in 2014.

The latest withdrawal brings to a close a military engagement that has spanned multiple American presidential administrations and shaped the security landscape of Iraq and the broader region for more than two decades.

The available timeline indicates that the anti-ISIS mission that began in 2014 has now concluded alongside the broader end of the US military presence, though specifics on the pace and scope of troop movements during the final withdrawal were not immediately detailed.

The end of the deployment is likely to prompt discussion about the future of security arrangements in Iraq and the region, as well as the long-term legacy of the US military's more than two-decade involvement in the country.