U.S. Ends Anti-ISIS Operation in Iraq, Marks Shift to Iraqi Leadership

U.S. military ends anti-ISIS operation in Iraq, transitioning to Iraqi-led security efforts. Key details and impact.

September 30, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — The U.S. military has officially concluded its anti-ISIS operation in Iraq, marking a major shift in the region’s security landscape. All coalition forces and equipment have been withdrawn from a key base in northern Iraq, following an agreement with the Iraqi government.

The Department of Defense highlighted the withdrawal as a successful end to a 12-year campaign that dismantled ISIS as a military force in Iraq and the broader region. A statement from spokesperson Sean Parnell emphasized the transition from a coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort, supported by a more conventional bilateral relationship between the two nations.

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Operation Inherent Resolve, launched in 2014, targeted ISIS, a group that emerged from al-Qaeda in Iraq and seized large areas of the country and Syria. At its peak, over 160,000 U.S. troops were deployed in Iraq, compared to roughly 2,000 as of February. While the mission has pushed ISIS out of major territories, the group remains active, with recent attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq. The U.S. continues to support Iraqi forces through training and intelligence, while the burden of addressing security threats shifts to local authorities.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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