U.S. and Iraq agree on withdrawal of U.S.-led Global Coalition forces

WASHINGTON, D.C./ BAGHDAD —  The U.S. and Iraq have reached a preliminary agreement on withdrawal of U.S.-led Global Coalition forces from Iraq, Reuters reported.

“We have an agreement. It’s now just a question of when to announce it,” a senior U.S. official stated.

Discussions are underway to form a new advisory role that could see a smaller number of U.S. troops remain in Iraq following the drawdown.

Technical negotiations between Baghdad and Washington, D.C. initiated by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in January, have concluded.

The agreement took place after rising tensions, including attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi militias against U.S. forces, which have killed 3 U.S. troops and injured dozens more. U.S. forces have retaliated with airstrikes, complicating efforts to stabilize Iraq after years of conflict.

The U.S. currently has 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria, part of a Coalition formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State (ISIS).

Under the terms of the agreement, the Coalition forces will leave the Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar and scale back operations in Baghdad by September 2025.

Some U.S. and Coalition forces are expected to remain in Erbil of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), until the end of 2026 to support ongoing operations in Syria.