OMM Redaksiyası
Iraq marked the withdrawal of US forces from the country on Wednesday. However, concerns have also been raised about maintaining security without the support of Western military forces.
The last US troops have left their bases in Iraq, including the Erbil air base in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. Under an agreement reached in 2024, the move formally ended the US-led coalition’s military mission in Iraq.
US military mission ends
US forces entered Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein. The invasion was followed by years of turmoil and violence. American troops withdrew at the end of 2011, but returned less than three years later after Islamic State militants seized large parts of the country.
The Pentagon said the United States and its coalition partners had formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve. Washington will continue to provide Iraqi partners with targeted training and intelligence support.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zeidi said the end of the international coalition’s mission did not mean the fight against terrorism was over. Iraq was entering a new phase in which it would assume full responsibility for its security and stability, he said.
Iran-aligned groups welcome withdrawal
Iran and armed groups allied with it have welcomed the departure of US forces. Tehran views the move as a victory for the network of regional allied groups it calls the “axis of resistance.”
Hundreds of supporters of pro-Iranian Iraqi militias gathered in Baghdad to celebrate the US withdrawal. They chanted anti-US slogans and carried portraits of Iranian and Iraqi militia figures.
Baghdad-based analyst Ahmed Younis said the US withdrawal could give Iran-aligned groups more opportunities to expand their influence in Iraqi politics and state institutions.
Concerns over a security vacuum
Although the departure of US forces has generally been welcomed by Iraqis, some fear the country’s security forces may struggle to counter remaining threats.
Iraqi analyst Jassim al-Bahadli warned that “security gaps can be extremely dangerous.” Others have voiced concern about armed groups operating outside government control and the presence of Islamic State sleeper cells.
After the previous US withdrawal, Islamic State grew stronger and captured Mosul in 2014, following the retreat of Iraqi soldiers from the city. Some security officials fear similar events could recur if the country’s institutions are unprepared for the post-coalition period.
Decades after the US intervention in Iraq, more than 4,500 American service members have been killed in the conflict. The Iraq Body Count project estimates that more than 200,000 Iraqi civilians have also been killed.
The departure of US forces places responsibility for safeguarding Iraq’s security on the country’s own forces. The key question, in the view of retired Iraqi General Mohammed al-Jubouri, is whether the security institutions have a workable “Plan B” for the post-coalition period.
