Overview
- Iraqi officials reported late September that all U.S. combat and logistical forces have left the country under a 2024 agreement while U.S. authorities had not immediately issued a public confirmation.
- Kurdish leaders, including Masrur Barsani, condemned the exit as a betrayal and warned the Kurdistan region will be more vulnerable after hundreds of recent drone and rocket strikes.
- Iraq has postponed the planned parallel disarmament and integration of Iran‑aligned militias until June 2027, leaving a key part of the security transition unfinished.
- Security risks persist from active Islamic State cells and from repeated attacks on multinational bases and Kurdish targets that the departing U.S. presence had helped deter and respond to.
- Analysts and commentators say the withdrawal could strengthen Iran’s influence in Iraq, Iraq will hold public 'Day of Independence' celebrations, and the move could reshape regional dynamics tied to the Iran conflict.