Iraq rejects proposal to keep international coalition forces

US Army soldiers stand outside their armored vehicle on a joint base with Iraqi army south of Mosul, Iraq. Photo: Khalid Mohammed/AP Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has publicly rejected a plan to keep any US-led international coalition forces in Iraq after the September 30, 2026, deadline. The spokesperson for the Iraqi government, Haider al-Aboudi, said during a press briefing that Baghdad remains strictly committed to the conclusion of the foreign military mission in the country, the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported. Al-Zaidi said earlier that October 1, 2026, will mark a new day in Iraq’s statehood when the country achieves complete sovereignty free of foreign troops. The military mission of the international coalition will expire on September 30, 2026, and the decision is final and irreversible, according to al-Zaidi. The prime minister underscored that October 1 will bring in a new period of total Iraqi independence and full territorial sovereignty, with no foreign military presence. Iraq’s future interactions with the international coalition’s member states will focus on direct security, economic, and specialized training cooperation based on mutual respect. The international coalition was first formed in 2014 to combat the emergence of the terrorist group ISIS. After Iraq declared military victory over ISIS in 2017, international coalition forces continued to provide advice and training services at Baghdad’s request. The official withdrawal of the international coalition follows a bilateral arrangement agreed upon by Baghdad and Washington.