‘Quagmire’ Ends: Trump Hails US Military Withdrawal From Iraq After 12 Years

US President Donald Trump has hailed the withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq, calling the 12-year military mission against the Islamic State group a “very expensive excursion into Hell” as Washington formally ended its combat role in the country.

The US military completed an orderly departure from Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq on Wednesday, meeting the September 30 deadline agreed with Baghdad. The move formally ends the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq and shifts responsibility for security to Iraqi forces, while Washington says it will continue providing targeted training and intelligence support.

Trump described the withdrawal as a victory for the United States and Iraq, while criticising the decisions that led to the 2003 invasion and subsequent military involvement. US forces first entered Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein and withdrew in 2011 before returning in 2014 after Islamic State fighters seized large areas of the country.

The US-led campaign helped destroy the group's territorial control, but ISIS has not disappeared and continues to operate through scattered sleeper cells. Two US soldiers and an interpreter were killed in an ISIS attack in December 2025, prompting American airstrikes.

The withdrawal follows a 2024 agreement between Baghdad and Washington. US forces had already left most Iraqi bases, with roughly 2,000 troops remaining earlier this year, mainly in the Kurdish region. American forces also withdrew from Syria earlier this year.

Iraq marked the departure with four “Sovereignty Days” from September 30 to October 3. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi called it the beginning of a new phase centred on Iraqi sovereignty and stronger institutions.

However, security concerns remain. Kurdish officials fear the removal of US air-defence systems could leave the region vulnerable after more than 1,000 drone and ballistic-missile attacks during the US-Iran conflict. Baghdad says it is seeking new air-defence systems from countries including South Korea, Türkiye and the United States.

The future of Iran-backed militias is another major challenge. Their disarmament deadline has been pushed to June 2027, while several powerful factions continue to reject surrendering their weapons.