This article is from: srnnews.com
US Completes Iraq Withdrawal as Iran Allies Celebrate, Experts Warn of ISIS Resurgence
By The Media Line Staff
US forces are completing their withdrawal from their final military bases in Iraq on Wednesday, under a 2024 bilateral agreement ending the US-led coalition mission, as Iran and allied groups celebrate the departure and security experts warn of expanding Iranian influence in the country.
Remaining American troops had consolidated at bases in Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region ahead of the final departure. Their exit ends more than two decades of US military presence that began with the 2003 invasion.
The withdrawal stems from an agreement reached in 2024 under President Joe Biden to wind down Operation Inherent Resolve. Its final stages were carried out under President Donald Trump’s administration even as the United States wages war against Iran.
Iran and its allies, whose influence in Iraq has expanded, have portrayed the departure as a victory. Iran-aligned groups including Kata’ib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba have celebrated the end of the American military presence as a defeat of what they call the “American occupation.”
Iraq’s government declared a four-day public holiday from September 30 through October 3, 2026, to mark “Sovereignty Days.” October 1 was specifically designated as National Sovereignty Day.
Concerns remain, however, about the security consequences of removing the remaining American forces.
Iraqi security experts have warned that the withdrawal could provide Tehran and its powerful allies with greater freedom to operate in the country. They also raised the possibility that other US adversaries, including Islamic State (ISIS), could exploit the departure.
International observers and Iraqi security experts have similarly warned that a security vacuum could give remaining ISIS elements an opportunity to rebuild their networks.
Anxiety is particularly pronounced among Iraq’s Kurdish population. Kurds have expressed fears that the withdrawal will leave them more vulnerable to neighboring states and powerful pro-Iranian militias without the presence of US troops in the northern region.
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