Iraq, US agree to withdraw anti-IS coalition forces in stages

Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbassi said on September 8 that Baghdad and Washington have agreed to withdraw forces from the US-led military coalition in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization in stages, but the two sides have not yet signed a final agreement.

Speaking on Al-Hadath TV, Minister al-Abbassi said coalition forces will withdraw from bases in the capital Baghdad and other areas of Iraq by September 2025, followed by a withdrawal from the autonomous Kurdish region in the north by September 2026.

Minister al-Abbassi confirmed that the withdrawal would be carried out “in two phases” and that the two sides “could sign an agreement in the next few days”.

According to him, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin affirmed in a meeting that the "two-year period is not enough" to carry out the troop withdrawal plan.

However, the Iraqi Defense Minister has rejected a proposal to extend the anti-IS coalition's stay in the Gulf state for a third year.

The US currently has about 2,500 troops deployed in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the international military coalition against IS led by Washington.

Baghdad and Washington have been negotiating for months over the presence of international coalition forces in Iraq, but have not publicly announced a timeline for the withdrawal.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since IS was defeated in 2017.

However, remnants of this terrorist organization have infiltrated urban centers, deserts and remote areas, carrying out sporadic, small-scale attacks targeting security forces and civilians.

Iraqi security forces claim to be able to deal with IS remnants without support, as the group does not pose a significant threat.