WASHINGTON — The United States and Iraq announced an agreement Friday to end the anti-ISIS coalition military presence in Iraq by September 2025, potentially reducing the 2,500 U.S. troops currently in the country while maintaining support for the 900 troops stationed in northeast Syria.
U.S. officials emphasized that this is not a withdrawal but a transition toward a new U.S.-Iraq military partnership, distinct from the coalition formed over a decade ago.
In a joint statement, the U.S. and Iraq outlined plans to phase out the coalition presence and shift to a bilateral security relationship that “supports Iraqi forces and maintains pressure on ISIS.” Iraq will still allow a limited U.S. military presence to support operations in Syria and prevent ISIS from regaining strength.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani’s government has been under pressure from Iranian-backed groups to end the American military presence in Iraq. Over the past year, more than 170 rocket and drone attacks have targeted U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria, according to officials.
“Iraq thanks the Coalition for the support provided to its security forces in confronting this shared threat and ensuring ISIS’s defeat,” the joint statement said, acknowledging the United States’ prominent role.
Details on how many U.S. troops will be withdrawn and which bases will remain operational over the next two years have yet to be finalized. Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, reiterated, “The U.S. is not withdrawing from Iraq. Our presence is evolving within the country.”
U.S. officials stressed this move represents a transition from a coalition mission established in 2014, as ISIS advanced through Iraq and Syria, to a broader bilateral security relationship with Iraq. Discussions on the future U.S. military presence in Iraq will continue as the situation evolves, considering ISIS’s activity, the regional environment, and Iraq’s capabilities.