US to Wind Down Iraq Mission by Sept 2025

The United States and coalition partners have begun reducing their military presence in Iraq under a 2024 agreement to wind down the U.S.-led anti‑Islamic State mission by September 2025. Officials say the drawdown — already underway with some withdrawals from bases such as Ain al‑Asad — will leave fewer than 2,000 U.S. forces in Iraq overall, with a majority based in Erbil in the Kurdistan region. Washington and partners will continue counter‑IS operations focused on Syria, and officials say international troops will be able to operate from Iraqi Kurdistan through September 2026; U.S. troop levels in Syria have been reduced to roughly under 1,000. Remaining U.S. personnel in Baghdad will concentrate on bilateral security cooperation and advisory roles while Iraq increasingly leads domestic counter‑ISIS efforts. Authorities caution that IS remnants persist in rural areas and the coalition will maintain strikes, raids and coordination with Iraqi forces to prevent a resurgence.