Iraq Warns of ISIS Threat from Syria Post-US Withdrawal
Baghdad alerts that fighters could cross the border as Iraqi forces prepare to manage security independently.
Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein voiced concerns on Thursday that Islamic State fighters could spill across the border from neighboring Syria, a day after the U.S. military formally concluded its counter-ISIS mission in Iraq. Hussein stated that Baghdad is closely monitoring ISIS activities within Syria and is preparing its forces to confront any movement toward the border that could threaten Iraq's security.
"We are worried about ISIS activities inside Syria," Hussein told reporters in Washington, D.C. "If they would be capable to cross the border, that would be once again a threat to our security. We are preparing ourselves – if there will be any movement from inside Iraq — to fight them and to defeat them."
The warning follows the departure of the final U.S. forces under Operation Inherent Resolve on Wednesday. Former President Donald J. Trump, who announced the withdrawal, hailed it as a victory over ISIS, stating the terrorist group had been "completely decimated" and that its self-declared caliphate no longer exists. "This day is a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS," Trump said.
Despite U.S. assessments that ISIS has been severely degraded, the terrorist group maintains scattered cells in Iraq and Syria. U.S. officials believe Iraqi forces are capable of suppressing the remaining threat independently, while U.S. counter-ISIS operations continue in Syria to prevent the group's resurgence.
Iraq's long-term security relationship with the U.S. following the withdrawal is still under discussion, with details on potential future training, intelligence sharing, or military cooperation yet to be determined. Concurrently, Baghdad is working to bring Iran-backed militia groups operating outside the regular security forces under government control, a process that has encountered resistance from some factions.
The U.S. military mission in Iraq, which began with the 2003 invasion, had seen American forces withdraw in 2011, only to return in 2014 as ISIS gained territory. The U.S.-led coalition helped Iraqi forces reclaim captured territory. Hussein also confirmed an investigation into a recent attack on Saudi Arabia that originated from Iraqi territory near the Iranian border, signaling Iraq's complex position amidst regional tensions.