Iraq says international coalition withdrawal on Sept. 30 marks historic transformation
Iraq has announced that the US-led international coalition will complete its military withdrawal by September 30, 2026. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and military spokesman Sabah al-Numan emphasized that the decision reflects the readiness of Iraqi security forces to manage national security independently. Following the withdrawal of the coalition, which was established in 2014 to fight ISIS, bilateral relations between Iraq and the United States are set to transition toward economic and security cooperation.
International coalition withdrawal from Iraq
▪Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced on August 12, 2026, that the international coalition's military mission in Iraq will end and its forces will complete their withdrawal by September 30, 2026.
▪Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, stated on August 22, 2026, that the September 30, 2026, international coalition withdrawal date was not an arbitrary decision.
Iraqi security forces readiness
▪Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, asserted on August 22, 2026, that Iraq's security forces have demonstrated their ability to control territory, counter threats, and defeat terrorist groups.
▪Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, stated on August 22, 2026, that the international coalition withdrawal decision was based on the readiness of Iraq's armed forces and security agencies to manage national security completely independently.
Post-withdrawal bilateral relations framework
▪Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and US Central Command Commander Gen. Brad Cooper agreed during an August 12, 2026, meeting that Iraqi-US relations will shift toward economic and security cooperation after the international coalition's military mission ends.
▪Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, stated on August 22, 2026, that the completion of the international coalition withdrawal will establish new security, economic, and training partnerships based on mutual respect and shared interests.
Anti-ISIS coalition history
▪The US-led international coalition was established in 2014 to fight the terrorist group Daesh/ISIS after the group seized large areas of Iraq and Syria.
▪Iraq declared military victory over ISIS in December 2017, after which international coalition forces remained in the country in an advisory and training role at Baghdad's request.
Iraqi sovereignty after withdrawal
▪Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, stated on August 22, 2026, that the September 30, 2026, international coalition withdrawal marks the culmination of a long period of sacrifices and a major shift in Iraq's sovereignty and stability.
▪Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi stated on August 12, 2026, that October 1, 2026, would mark a new day in Iraq's statehood, with the country being free of any foreign military presence.
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