Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah meets Iraqi Army personnel
Baghdad: Iraqi military units assumed complete control of the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq on Saturday following the full withdrawal of all US forces, fulfilling a key phase of the 2024 Washington-Baghdad agreement to end the US-led anti-ISIS coalition by September 2025. Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah personally oversaw task assignments to Iraqi units now operating the strategic facility.
A Defense Ministry official confirmed all US personnel and equipment have departed the base, originally slated for full withdrawal last September until Syrian developments prompted Baghdad to retain 250-350 US advisers temporarily. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani had announced this adjustment in October. No statement came from the US military regarding the exit.
Yarallah instructed units to maximize the base's capabilities through enhanced coordination and joint operations. US forces maintain positions in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish north and neighboring Syria. Al-Sudani stated in July that completing the coalition withdrawal eliminates justification for non-state armed groups to retain weapons outside state authority, potentially strengthening Baghdad's disarmament push.
(Inputs from AP)