इराकबाट अमेरिकी सेना हट्दै
BAGHDAD, September 30
After more than a decade, the United States is ending its military mission in Iraq. While the US-led coalition played a crucial role in defeating Islamic State (IS), it had also become a source of growing political and security tensions in Iraq in recent years.
The US-led coalition forces entered both Iraq and Syria in 2014 to combat Islamic State after the extremist group seized vast swathes of territory across both nations, committing mass killings and widespread atrocities.
Although Islamic State was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, coalition forces remained stationed in Iraq to conduct operations against remnants of the group.
In 2024, Iraq and the United States reached an agreement to conclude the coalition’s military mission. Following the agreement, coalition troops began vacating various military bases across the country and consolidated their presence in the northern Kurdistan region. Their final departure from the region is scheduled for Wednesday.
The Iraqi government expects the departure of coalition forces to eliminate the rationale used by Iran-backed armed groups to maintain their weaponry.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declared that October 1—the day following the departure of coalition troops—should be celebrated as “Sovereignty Day.” Heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government also stated that the exit of coalition forces marks a major step toward Iraq’s full sovereignty.
The government emphasized the need to address the issue of weapons remaining outside state control. Prime Minister Zaidi has consistently urged armed groups to surrender their weapons to the state; however, some powerful groups have refused to disarm.
These groups demand not only the exit of foreign troops but also an end to US political and economic influence in the country. Kata’ib Hezbollah, a powerful armed group, stated that the withdrawal of US-led forces marks the beginning of full national sovereignty, though it issued a stern warning to the government.
During the fight against Islamic State, the US-led coalition and Iran-backed armed groups fought against a common enemy. However, following the defeat of IS, disputes intensified between both sides over the presence of foreign troops in Iraq.
Iran and its affiliated groups frequently launched drone and missile attacks demanding the expulsion of US forces, prompting retaliatory strikes by the US military across various locations.
Meanwhile, residents in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, expressed concern over how their security against potential drone attacks will be maintained following the coalition’s departure. The coalition had already withdrawn its troops from Syria earlier this year.
— RSS/AFP
