US and UK complete troop withdrawal from Iraq, ending anti-IS mission
What happened
The United States and the United Kingdom have concluded their anti-Islamic State military mission in Iraq and withdrawn remaining troops. The departure ends Operation Inherent Resolve, fulfilling a demand from the Iraqi government under a deal agreed two years ago.
Why it matters
The withdrawal concludes a 23-year military presence and resets security relations between Washington and Baghdad. Transitioning from a multilateral combat coalition to a bilateral security partnership grants Iraq full authority over its domestic security framework.
Bigger picture
The move reflects a broader geopolitical shift as Western nations wind down long-standing counter-terrorism deployments in favor of direct security cooperation agreements with regional partner governments.
Watch next
Implementation of the new US-Iraq bilateral security partnership, including follow-on agreements on intelligence sharing and ongoing security cooperation.