US and Iraq reach agreement on troop withdrawal by 2026

The United States and Iraq have reached a preliminary agreement to withdraw US-led coalition forces from Iraq, with the majority of troops expected to depart by the end of 2026, according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations.

The plan, which awaits final approval from both Washington and Baghdad, would see the withdrawal of hundreds of troops by September 2025, followed by a complete exit by late 2026, reported Reuters.

"We have an agreement, now it's just a matter of when to announce it," a senior US official revealed.

The withdrawal plan was initially set for announcement weeks ago but was delayed due to the escalation of violence in the region, particularly concerning Israel's conflict with Gaza. The remaining details of the deal are currently being finalized, and a formal announcement could come later this month, according to US and coalition officials who requested anonymity.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani initiated talks with Washington in early 2023, partly in response to ongoing attacks on US forces by Iran-backed militias in Iraq. These attacks, which have killed and injured American troops, led to US retaliatory strikes, complicating efforts to stabilize Iraq.

The US currently maintains approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria, as part of a coalition formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State (ISIS). Although ISIS has been territorially defeated in Iraq since 2017, US officials argue that their presence helps counter Iranian influence in the region.

Under the new plan, coalition forces would vacate the Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar province and scale back their presence in Baghdad by September 2025. Troops are expected to remain in Erbil, in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, until the end of 2026 to assist with operations against ISIS in Syria.

Prime Minister al-Sudani has expressed concerns that the presence of US forces has become a source of instability, with US military responses often uncoordinated with Iraqi authorities. However, the planned withdrawal is seen as a political win for al-Sudani, who must balance Iraq’s alliances with both Washington and Tehran. The first phase of the drawdown will be completed one month before Iraq's parliamentary elections in October 2025, positioning al-Sudani favorably ahead of the polls.

For the US, the two-year timeframe provides flexibility in case regional dynamics change, a US official noted. The troop drawdown represents a significant shift in America's military stance in Iraq, potentially reshaping the strategic balance of power in the Middle East.