Pentagon reaffirms Iraq cooperation post-embassy clarifications

Shafaq News – Washington / Baghdad

On Friday, a US Department of Defense official stated that the United States continues to review and adjust the posture of its forces in Iraq, while the US Embassy in Baghdad denied reports of an imminent troop withdrawal from the capital.

Speaking to Shafaq News, the Pentagon official clarified, "We remain committed to concluding the coalition’s military mission in Iraq by September 2025, and will continue supporting operations to defeat ISIS in Syria from bases in Iraq through September 2026."

The official added that following the transition period, the United States would maintain a bilateral security cooperation relationship with Iraq.

Separately, a spokesperson for the US Embassy said that the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve is currently operating in line with the agreed timetable for transitioning coalition forces away from combat operations in Iraq, based on the joint statement issued on September 27, 2024, which outlined the schedule for ending the coalition’s military mission.

The first phase of the withdrawal has already started, with a convoy leaving Ain al-Asad base for Syria earlier this week. Some forces have been relocated to Erbil and Kuwait, with overall troop levels expected to fall from about 2,000 to fewer than 500 by September 2026.

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington, D.C.