Ending two decades of military presence, US forces fully withdraw from Iraq

Baghdad: The United States has completely withdrawn its troops from the remaining bases in Iraq ending 23 years of military presence. This has raised concerns over the country’s future security arrangements.

The withdrawal, decided in 2024 under former President Joe Biden, has been carried out by the administration of current President Donald Trump. The timing is significant as the US remains engaged in a war with Iran.

American forces entered Iraq in 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s regime, a move that was followed by prolonged political instability and insurgency. More than 4,500 US troops were killed during the two-decade-long conflict.

After years of counterinsurgency operations following the 2003 invasion, US forces withdrew at the end of 2011. However, they returned less than three years later to support Iraqi forces in military operations against the Islamic State between 2014 and 2017.

While the US withdrawal is generally welcomed by Iraqis, many remain concerned about whether the Iraqi security forces, trained with American support, can independently safeguard the country. During the fight against the Islamic State, the US military provided Iraqi forces with crucial intelligence and aerial surveillance capabilities.

At the same time, the American military presence in Iraq was associated with heavy casualties and allegations of human rights violations. The abuse and torture of prisoners by US troops at Abu Ghraib prison following the 2003 invasion triggered widespread international outrage.

In addition, thousands of civilians were killed in heavy bombardments and military operations in cities such as Fallujah. The conflicts that continued for more than two decades displaced hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and pushed the country into a severe humanitarian crisis.