Iraq says September 30 withdrawal deadline for US-led coalition ‘final’

Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has declared September 30 as the "fixed and final" deadline for the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces. A US official confirmed that the United States anticipates completing its pullout by this date. This withdrawal marks the end of a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion, transitioning to smaller operations against ISIS in 2024. The Iraqi prime minister's office stated that October 1 will signify Iraq being free of any foreign military presence, with all weapons to be under state control. Both Baghdad and Washington agreed to this deadline, which was discussed during al-Zaidi's visit to Washington in July, and future Iraqi-US ties will focus on economic and security cooperation.

U.S. forces are on track to complete their withdrawal from Iraq by September 30, marking the end of a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion. This pullout follows an agreement between Washington and Baghdad in 2024 to wind down U.S.-led operations against the Islamic State group. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi affirmed the September 30 date as the "fixed and final date" for ending the coalition's mission and departing forces. A U.S. official confirmed the expected completion of the pullout, stating that Iraqi security forces will now lead the fight against terrorists. U.S. troops had already withdrawn from most Iraqi bases last year, maintaining a presence in the northern Kurdish region which has faced attacks since the war on Iran began.