US forces gradually withdraw from northern Iraq

US Army CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters at Erbil Air Base on 27 February 2025. Photo: US Army/Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – US forces have begun a phased withdrawal from Iraqi Kurdistan as part of a plan to redeploy and end their military presence in the country. Reports indicate that US military convoys have left the capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Erbil, in the past few days, heading towards neighboring countries. The withdrawal is being carried out in successive phases according to a set timetable, while the transfer of equipment and troops from US bases in the region continues. The US Department of War has not yet issued an official statement regarding the details of these recent movements. Reports also mentioned that the United States has begun withdrawing its remaining forces from Iraq ahead of the September 30 deadline, with Patriot air defense systems already removed from Erbil. The pullout comes as regional security concerns rise, with Iranian-backed armed groups continuing to threaten the Kurdistan Region. These assaults have generated fears that reducing the United States’ military presence may make the region more vulnerable to security challenges. The withdrawal is part of understandings reached between Baghdad and Washington over the past two years to end the mission of the US-led international coalition and transition to a new phase based on bilateral security and military cooperation. Despite reducing its military presence, the United States has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to continued cooperation with Iraqi forces in training, intelligence sharing, and countering ISIS within a bilateral framework that does not require a large-scale military presence. The withdrawal begins at a time when tensions in the region have risen in the past few weeks, following military operations by the US and Iran, as well as frequent drone and missile attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan.