US-led coalition ends anti-Islamic State mission in Iraq amid heightened regional tensions and security fears
The US-led coalition has officially concluded its anti-Islamic State mission in Iraq, a move supported by both the Iraqi government and US President Donald Trump. While the withdrawal is framed as a victory, concerns remain regarding the influence of pro-Iran armed factions in the region.
Why it matters
The end of this mission marks a significant shift in US military presence in the Middle East and may alter the regional balance of power.
A US-led coalition deployed in Iraq more than a decade ago to fight extremists concluded its mission on Wednesday, a move celebrated by the country's leaders and US President Donald Trump despite fears of emboldened pro-Iran armed factions.Coalition troops deployed to Iraq and Syria in 2014 to fight the so-called Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, which had seized large swathes of territory, committed massacres, and forced thousands of women and children into slavery.The group was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, but coalition forces stayed on to battle its remnants.Washington and Baghdad agreed in 2024 to wind down the mission, and US troops withdrew gradually from bases across the country, restricting their presence to the autonomous northern Kurdistan region."This day is a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over ISIS," wrote Trump in a post on social…
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