WASHINGTON: The United States has formally concluded its military mission against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq following the withdrawal of coalition troops from Erbil Air Base in the Kurdistan region, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
The US-led coalition said it had ended its more than decade-long operation against IS in Iraq and neighbouring Syria. The terrorist group seized large areas of both countries and carried out widespread massacres and atrocities before being defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019.
“Today, the United States and our Coalition partners formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq,” Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement, referring to a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad.
Coalition withdrawal: “We expect the Iraqi Security Forces, including the Peshmerga and other security forces in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, to lead the continuing effort to secure Iraq and keep ISIS remnants suppressed. The Department of War will continue to provide targeted… https://t.co/rz8BxIadqz pic.twitter.com/WGdBvMvuTX
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“The orderly departure of Coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base marks the successful conclusion of the military mission that defeated ISIS in Iraq,” Parnell said.
The United States and Iraq agreed in 2024 to gradually wind down the coalition’s mission. Coalition troops subsequently withdrew from bases across Iraq, with their remaining presence eventually concentrated in the autonomous Kurdistan region.
The Iraqi government has said the coalition’s withdrawal removes a justification that powerful Iran-backed terrorist groups have used to retain their weapons.
