The U.S., leading a coalition that landed in Iraq in 2014 to crush the Islamic State, has now pulled its last forces from the autonomous Kurdistan region—ending a 12‑year military footprint that had spanned dozens of air bases and ground camps.
Baghdad and Washington had agreed in 2024 to wind down the mission, and the remaining coalition troops have been leaving bases across the country in a slow, phased retreat. The last of the 12,000 foreign soldiers will stand down at Erbil’s international airport.
Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi declared October 1, the day after the last troops leave, a new Sovereignty Day, a symbolic move that underscores the Iraqi state’s claim to authority over its territory.
Yet the move has rattled Tehran‑backed militias, especially Kataeb Hezbollah, which issued a statement warning that the government would be toppled if it does not serve the people. The group also demanded that foreign troops be removed as a precondition for any political settlement.
The Kurdish leadership, already uneasy after a string of drone attacks, fears that the removal of U.S. interceptors will leave the region vulnerable. Meanwhile, the Iraqi government is pressing hard for a disarmament deadline, though it has already lifted the September 30 cut‑off to allow further talks.