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3w ago

Iraq Keeps Small U.S. Advisory Force at Key Air Bases to Counter ISIS Risk from Syria

Baghdad cites security shifts in Syria that require cross-border coordination to prevent an Islamic State resurgence.

Soldiers disembark from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq in July 2023.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani speaks at his political block campaign rally before the parliamentary elections in Mosul, Iraq, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
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Overview

  • Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said 250–350 U.S. advisers and support personnel will stay at Ain al-Asad and al-Harir.
  • The retained contingent will focus on counter-ISIS surveillance and liaison with U.S. forces at Syria’s al-Tanf outpost.
  • The move reverses a planned full withdrawal from Ain al-Asad by September as other U.S. positions proceed with gradual reductions.
  • Iraqi officials pointed to developments in Syria, including Assad’s fall, while asserting ISIS no longer poses a significant threat inside Iraq.
  • The government underscores a stance of avoiding proxy conflicts as tensions over the Popular Mobilization Forces and pre-election politics continue.