U.S. Completes Iraq Troop Withdrawal And Moves Anti-ISIS Command To Jordan
U.S. Central Command said the last U.S. forces left Erbil Air Base on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, completing the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq.[1]
CENTCOM said the anti-ISIS coalition headquarters that had been in Iraq will relocate to Jordan, while U.S. forces will continue counterterrorism operations in Syria.[1] Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell called the pullout the end of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat and said the U.S. will now provide mainly targeted training and intelligence support.[2] Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over a handover ceremony and declared September 30, 2026 "Sovereignty Day," announcing a two-day public holiday.[1]
Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIS began in 2014, and the U.S. campaign in Iraq stretched across more than a decade.[3] The withdrawal was agreed in 2024 and comes amid a wider U.S.-Iran war, after repeated attacks by Iran-backed militias on U.S. bases and U.S. strikes on militia strongholds.[2] Kurdish leaders warned of new defense gaps and a possible Islamic State resurgence, while Iran-backed militias celebrated the U.S. exit and Baghdad has seen limited success disarming militias.[4]
Early coverage emphasized immediate security risks, including militia threats and Kurdish concerns about air defenses.[2] Later reporting shifted toward the political significance of the handover, highlighting Iraqi sovereignty and the formal end of the U.S.-led anti-ISIS mission.[5]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, U.S. Central Command said the last U.S. forces vacated Erbil Air Base in the Kurdistan Region, marking the completion of the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq (Erbil Air Base).
- Centcom said the anti-ISIS coalition headquarters previously based in Iraq will relocate to Jordan while U.S. forces will continue counterterrorism operations in Syria (anti-ISIS coalition headquarters).
- Pentagon officials called the pullout the end of a 12-year campaign that 'defeated ISIS as an organized military threat,' and said the U.S. will now provide primarily targeted training and intelligence support under a more normal bilateral security relationship (Sean Parnell).
- Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over a handover ceremony and described the departure as the start of a 'new phase' defined by Iraqi sovereignty, institutional strength and readiness of its forces (Ali al-Zaidi).
- An official ceremony was held in Baghdad on September 30, 2026 at the former joint military command center across from the U.S. Embassy; the event was closed to media but was scheduled for later broadcast on Iraqi state television (former joint military command center).
- Iraqi armed forces spokesman Sabah al-Numan told NPR that Iraq is exploring bilateral military agreements with the United States following the withdrawal (Sabah al-Numan).
- The withdrawal — agreed in 2024 and taking place amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran war — follows repeated attacks by Iran-backed militias on U.S. bases and U.S. strikes on those groups' strongholds (Iran-backed militias).
- Reporters highlighted concerns in the Iraqi Kurdish region about defense gaps and a possible Islamic State resurgence, noted that Iran-backed militias celebrated the U.S. exit, and said Baghdad has had limited success disarming militias (Iraqi Kurdish region).
- CBS noted the withdrawal comes 23 years after the 2003 invasion of Iraq and 12 years after the start of Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIS in 2014 (Operation Inherent Resolve).
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the Pentagon said all remaining U.S. troops tied to the Islamic State mission completed an 'orderly departure' from the air base in Erbil in Iraq's Kurdish region.
- Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell called this the end of a 12-year campaign that 'defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region' and said the U.S. will now provide only targeted training and intelligence support under a more normal bilateral security relationship.
- Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over a handover ceremony at the base and described the departure as the start of a 'new phase' defined by Iraq's sovereignty, institutional strength and readiness of its forces, pledging that non-state groups would no longer hold weapons.
- The article highlights that the withdrawal was agreed in 2024 and comes amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, with Iran-backed militias in Iraq having repeatedly attacked U.S. bases and the U.S. striking those groups' strongholds.
- The piece underscores concerns in Iraq's Kurdish region about a possible Islamic State resurgence and more attacks by Iran-linked groups now that U.S. forces have left, and notes Baghdad's limited success so far in efforts to disarm militias.
- CBS aired a video segment on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, reporting that the U.S. military has finished withdrawing from Iraq, 23 years after the 2003 invasion.
- The CBS piece explicitly dates the start of Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIS to 2014 and frames the withdrawal as coming 12 years after that campaign began.
- NPR’s Up First framing on September 30, 2026 highlights that the Iraqi Kurdish region has been hit hard during the U.S.-Iran war and that Kurdish leaders are specifically worried about their defenses after the U.S. pullout.
- The newsletter notes that Iran-backed militias are celebrating the September 30, 2026 withdrawal and that the exit raises new questions about Iraq’s ability to defend itself without U.S. air defenses.
- It reiterates that Iraq has declared September 30, 2026 as 'Sovereignty Day' and emphasizes that many Iraqis see the holiday as a chance to hope for a more normal, peaceful life.
- On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, U.S. Central Command said the last U.S. forces vacated Erbil Air Base in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, completing the U.S. military withdrawal from the country.
- Centcom stated that the anti-ISIS coalition headquarters previously based in Iraq will relocate to Jordan while U.S. forces continue counterterrorism operations in Syria.
- An official ceremony was held in Baghdad on September 30, 2026, at the former joint military command center across from the U.S. Embassy, where Iraqi leaders and U.S. commanders marked the end of the U.S.-led mission; the event was closed to media but scheduled for later broadcast on Iraqi state television.
- Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declared September 30, 2026 'sovereignty day' and announced a two-day public holiday to mark the end of the U.S. military presence, saying a 'new phase has begun' characterized by Iraqi sovereignty and balanced partnerships.
- Iraqi armed forces spokesman Sabah al-Numan told NPR that Iraq is exploring bilateral military agreements with the United States following the withdrawal.