Iraq finalizes Global Coalition advisers drawdown from military bases

Shafaq News– Baghdad

Iraq has completed the withdrawal of US-led Coalition advisers from all military bases and command centers, transferring full control of key sites, including Ain al-Asad Air Base and the Joint Operations Command, to Iraqi forces, the Higher Military Commission for Ending the Coalition Mission announced on Sunday.

In a statement, the commission said the move implements the September 27, 2024, timetable to end the Coalition’s mission against ISIS and follows the Iraq–United States statement of November 6, 2025, on future security relations. Iraqi forces now have full capacity to secure the country, the commission stated, asserting that ISIS no longer poses a strategic threat and that units can prevent any resurgence or cross-border infiltration.

Read more: EXPLAINER: From the fight against ISIS to US withdrawal talks

With the first phase complete, it noted, Iraq will shift to a bilateral framework with Washington focused on training, equipment, armament, exercises, and joint operations to maintain counter-ISIS readiness, adding that the Coalition’s second phase in Syria has begun, with continued coordination to target remaining cells and prevent spillover into Iraq. Logistical support will be provided from an air base in Erbil, while joint counter-ISIS operations may be launched from Ain al-Asad if required.

Earlier on Saturday, Iraq’s Ministry of Defense reported that Iraqi forces had assumed full control of Ain al-Asad, Iraq’s second-largest airbase after Balad, following the withdrawal of US troops. About 2,500 US troops remain stationed in Iraq. Baghdad and Washington finalized an agreement in August 2025 outlining a roadmap for the complete withdrawal of American forces by September 2026.

Read more: The US exits Iraq: A withdrawal heralds a sovereign future