The last US and UK troops have left Iraq, marking the formal end of the international coalition's anti-Islamic State mission under an agreement reached two years ago. The withdrawal had been a central demand of the Iraqi government, which sought a change in the status of foreign forces on its territory.
The coalition was originally formed to help Iraqi forces combat Islamic State militants and to provide training and support. Over subsequent years its role evolved from direct combat operations to advising and assisting Iraqi security services as IS lost territorial control. The departure of the final personnel completes the process set out in the bilateral and multilateral arrangements agreed with Baghdad two years earlier.
Baghdad's insistence on the removal of combat troops reflected concerns about sovereignty and the domestic political dynamics surrounding the presence of foreign militaries. The conclusion of the mission does not eliminate existing diplomatic or security ties between Iraq and coalition countries, but it does represent a shift in the visible military footprint of Western powers in the country.
How cooperation on counter‑terrorism and intelligence-sharing will be structured going forward will depend on further negotiations between Iraq and its international partners. Iraqi leaders have framed the move as an assertion of national authority, while coalition members have said previously that they remain committed to supporting Iraq's stability through other means, though the form of that support will now be subject to fresh discussions.