U.S. forces have completed their withdrawal from Iraq, ending a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion and spanned more than two decades. Iraqi officials confirmed the departure of the last combat troops and logistical support personnel over the weekend, two days before the formal deadline.

The pullout fulfills a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad to conclude the U.S.-led coalition mission against the Islamic State group. Roughly 2,500 American troops had been stationed in Iraq in recent years, with operations consolidated in the Kurdish region and around Baghdad before the final exit. The transition shifts the relationship toward bilateral economic and security cooperation, including expanded U.S. commercial involvement.

Iraqi leaders plan to mark September 30 as Independence Day with public holidays. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and other officials described the move as restoring full sovereignty and allowing Iraqi forces to assume complete security responsibility.

The withdrawal carries significant risks, according to analysts and security experts. Iran and its aligned militias in Iraq have celebrated the departure as a strategic victory. Those groups now hold greater sway in Baghdad at a time when the United States continues operations against Tehran. Iraqi security officials have also raised the possibility that Islamic State remnants could exploit reduced coalition support to regroup.

President Donald Trump, who oversaw the final stages of the drawdown after the agreement was reached during the prior administration, stated that Iraq no longer requires a U.S. military footprint and emphasized opportunities for American companies. Officials noted that Iraqi security forces have strengthened sufficiently to handle remaining threats independently.

The exit closes a chapter that included the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, years of insurgency, and the later campaign against ISIS. A small residual U.S. advisory presence may remain for limited counterterrorism support under the new bilateral framework, though the large-scale mission has ended.