US completes Iraq military withdrawal amid security concerns
US forces are due to leave their remaining bases in Iraq after more than two decades of military involvement. The departure is welcomed by Iran and its allies but has raised concerns among Iraqi officials and analysts that Iran-backed groups and Islamic State could expand their influence or exploit security gaps.
US forces are set to leave their remaining bases in Iraq by Wednesday, ending a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion and continued through the fight against Islamic State. The withdrawal was agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and is being carried out by Donald Trump’s administration. Iran and allied Iraqi groups have welcomed the departure as a victory, while some Iraqi officials and analysts fear it could create a security vacuum.
Jasim al-Bahadli, an Iraqi security analyst, said Iran would benefit strategically because the departure removes a military counterweight to Tehran’s influence. An Iran-backed militia commander described the withdrawal as a defeat for the American project. The United States invaded Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein, withdrew at the end of 2011 and returned less than three years later to help Iraqi forces defeat Islamic State.
About 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war, according to the report. Some Iraqi security officials worry that the loss of US intelligence, logistical support and drones could allow Islamic State sleeper cells to regroup. Kurdish commander Sirwan Barzani said he had observed increased movement by sleeper cells after the withdrawal announcement.
Iraqi security officials also said a suspected Islamic State cell was preparing suicide attacks to coincide with the pull-out. The group once controlled a third of Iraq but retains a network despite losing its territorial stronghold. The Baghdad government says it is working to limit the influence of Iran-backed militias.
Supporters of the withdrawal argue that Iraq’s sovereignty should be secured by its own institutions.
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