Last UK and US Troops Depart Iraq, Concluding Anti-ISIS Mission

The final British and American troops have left Iraq, marking the end of a military presence spanning over a decade and the conclusion of Operation Inherent Resolve, the international coalition mission against the Islamic State (IS) group.

The departure of approximately 100 British military personnel from Erbil in the Kurdistan region was coordinated with the withdrawal of U.S. forces, both concluding their mission on Wednesday. This action follows a two-year-old agreement between the U.S. and the Iraqi government to remove foreign troops.

British and U.S. forces were deployed to Iraq in 2014 as part of the coalition aimed at defeating IS. The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence stated that Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Kurdish Peshmerga have now secured the "enduring territorial defeat" of IS in Iraq and are capable of assuming primary responsibility for the country's security. The ministry added that this marks "a new chapter focused on enduring security co-operation under Iraqi leadership."

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the "successful conclusion of the military mission that defeated [IS] in Iraq." He noted that the responsibility for addressing remaining security challenges, including IS remnants and Iran-aligned militias, now rests with the Iraqi government.

While the Iraqi government declared victory over IS in 2017, coalition forces remained to prevent the group's resurgence. A recent UN report estimates IS has several hundred fighters remaining, capable of limited operations. The Iraqi government also faces the challenge posed by Iranian-backed militias, which Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has vowed to disarm and bring under state control.

Recent months have seen increased targeting of coalition forces in Erbil by militias, particularly since the start of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran earlier this year. Hundreds of NATO troops had previously left Baghdad in March amid rising tensions. In April, coalition bases in Erbil were subjected to daily drone and missile attacks, with RAF Regiment Gunners reporting shooting down over 100 drones in the first six weeks of increased conflict.

The UK Ministry of Defence acknowledged the contributions of British personnel, who provided training and support to over 111,000 ISF members and 21,000 Peshmerga forces. The Royal Air Force (RAF) conducted thousands of sorties, striking over 2,300 IS targets. The RAF is expected to continue missions over neighboring Syria to counter IS remnants.

U.S. forces will maintain their mission against IS in Syria, where the UN estimates the group has up to 3,000 fighters. The U.S. Central Command stated that the coalition's joint taskforce is now based in Jordan and will continue to offer targeted training and intelligence support to Iraqi partners.

This is the third instance of U.S. and UK forces withdrawing from Iraq. Earlier deployments occurred in 1991 following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. and UK forces previously withdrew in 2011, only to return in 2014 when IS posed a significant threat to the country's stability.

Iraq plans to observe four national holidays, designated as "Sovereignty Days," to commemorate the withdrawal of coalition forces.