Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The Iraqi government confirmed on Friday that the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country is proceeding according to the bilateral agreement signed with Washington, as the presence of roughly 2,500 American troops deployed under the banner of the international coalition against ISIS enters its final stages.
Hussein Allawi, advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, stated that the transition is unfolding as planned. “There are no fears of ISIS returning to Iraq. The armed forces are fully capable and are actively pursuing the group’s remaining scattered cells,” Allawi said, in a clear message aimed at calming regional and domestic concerns over the country’s security vacuum post-withdrawal.
Allawi noted that the exit of U.S. forces had originally been anticipated as far back as 2017, following the defeat of ISIS. However, political instability in successive Iraqi governments delayed the process. It wasn’t until Prime Minister al-Sudani’s administration that Baghdad and Washington reached a formal agreement to begin a phased withdrawal.
The current roadmap includes two key phases: the first stage, already underway, is expected to conclude by September 2025, while the full departure of American forces is projected to be finalized by 2026.
According to sources, U.S. troops are expected to begin withdrawing from strategic locations in Baghdad, including the fortified Green Zone, home to foreign embassies and government institutions, as well as Baghdad International Airport and the Joint Operations Command headquarters.
While most troops will leave central Iraq, the agreement allows for a limited U.S. military presence to remain in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq for an additional year, reflecting the ongoing partnership between Washington and Kurdish authorities, particularly in counterterrorism efforts.
Despite the drawdown, Allawi emphasized that Iraq’s defense relations with the U.S. and other coalition members remain intact and are evolving into a more advisory and cooperative framework rather than a combat-focused one. “Iraqi-American security ties remain advanced on all levels,” he said.
The current U.S. presence is primarily advisory in nature, focused on training and assisting Iraqi security forces to ensure the long-term defeat of ISIS. However, the presence has faced criticism and pressure from Iran-aligned political parties and armed groups within Iraq, many of which have called for a full and immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces.
The Iraqi government has responded by engaging in a year-long series of strategic dialogues with the United States, aimed at redefining the terms of cooperation and ending the official mandate of the international coalition.
Since the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2017, Iraq has taken significant steps to rebuild its security institutions. Yet, the militant group remains active in isolated pockets, especially in the northern and western provinces, occasionally launching guerrilla-style attacks against both military and civilian targets.
As U.S. forces begin their withdrawal from the heart of Iraq, the focus now shifts to ensuring that Iraqi forces can independently sustain national security, while maintaining balanced diplomatic and defense relations with international partners.
