As the last U.S. troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay
U.S. troops are finalizing their withdrawal from Iraq by the September 30 deadline, leaving behind a security vacuum. Despite government ultimatums, Iranian-backed militias show no intention of disarming, raising concerns about future regional stability.
Why it matters
The withdrawal marks a major shift in Middle Eastern geopolitics and the U.S.-Iran conflict, potentially emboldening non-state armed groups.
Two deadlines are looming for Iraq at the end of the month: the end of a decades-long U.S. military presence and the disarmament of non-state armed groups.
The U.S. withdrawal is underway, and officials say the hundreds of troops remaining in northern Iraq will be out by the September 30 deadline.
The Iraqi government has linked the U.S. withdrawal to an ultimatum for militias to lay down their weapons. But most have indicated they have no plans to do so.
That leaves major questions about what the day after will look like in Iraq.
Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have struck U.S.-linked targets both inside and outside of Iraq since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. They also have coordinated with Yemen’s Houthi rebels to attack Saudi Arabia.
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