Iraq celebrates the end of an era with the withdrawal of American forces from its territory on September 30, 2026. Ali Al-Zaydi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, stated in a declaration that "October 1 will be a new day in the path of the Iraqi government, with a country free from any foreign military presence and the completion of national sovereignty over its land."
Independence Celebration and Public Holidays
This occasion will be commemorated as "Independence Day" with four days of official holidays. According to an agreement signed in 2024, the United States will complete the withdrawal of its remaining 2,500 troops from Iraq by Wednesday. This withdrawal ends 12 years of coalition operations led by the United States against the ISIS group.
End of American Military Presence in Iraq
This withdrawal also marks the end of over two decades of American military presence in Iraq. After the American invasion in 2003, U.S. forces left Iraq in 2011 and returned in 2014 to fight against the ISIS group. This withdrawal is part of the overall U.S. strategy to reduce military presence in the Middle East.
However, the withdrawal of American forces does not mean the end of all foreign military deployments in Iraq. Turkey still has forces in Iraq, although Ankara has recently announced that it will gradually hand over a military base in northern Iraq to Baghdad.
Ali Al-Zaydi also pointed out that Baghdad's political goal should now be to clarify Iraq's desire to remain an ally of the United States. He announced last week that a new deadline for the end of the U.S. military mission has been set for June 30, 2027.
Despite this, it is likely that not all armed groups will adhere to this plan, as several powerful armed groups have refused to disarm or have set conditions that could delay the process.
Ali Al-Zaydi has also expressed concern that Washington may view Iraq and Iran-affiliated militia groups as close to Iran while the United States and Israel are engaged in a conflict with Iran.
Ultimately, the withdrawal of American forces also includes the departure of military personnel and the removal of U.S. air defense systems in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq. Kurdish officials in Erbil have called for Baghdad's support against missile and drone attacks from Iran.
