According to Reuters, the US plans to withdraw troops from Iraq by the end of 2026.

The United States and Iraq have reached an understanding on the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition troops. A plan to withdraw by September 2025 for some and by the end of 2026 for others has been agreed upon but requires final approval from Washington and Baghdad, according to Reuters. “We have an agreement, it’s just a question of when to announce it,” a U.S. official said.

The United States and Iraq also plan to establish a new consultative relationship, where some American forces could be present after the main troop withdrawal. Escalation in the Middle East over Israel's war in Gaza has delayed the announcement of a deal indefinitely. The agreement follows more than six months of talks between Baghdad and Washington that began in January.

Under the plan, all coalition forces would leave Ain al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province and reduce their presence in Baghdad by September 2025. Coalition forces would remain in Erbil until the end of 2026 to assist in operations against the Islamic State in Syria. Details of the troop movements are being kept secret due to military sensitivities. “The two-year window gives the U.S. a breathing space,” the U.S. official explained.

In late August, the US carried out a joint operation with Iraqi security forces that killed 15 ISIS militants. The US-Iraq agreement could be formally announced as early as this month. The US reportedly has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria as part of the coalition.

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