Erbil (HRNW)- US-led coalition forces have begun withdrawing from Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region as part of the conclusion of the coalition’s mission against ISIS in Iraq, in line with the September 30 deadline.
Kurdistan Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed said coalition personnel have started leaving the region, with forces moving to locations outside Iraq on a daily basis. A senior Iraqi official has also confirmed the withdrawal.
Reports indicate that coalition forces had already vacated other military bases in Iraq in January and are now present only at Erbil International Airport.
The US-led coalition was deployed to Iraq and Syria in 2014 to combat ISIS. The militant group was largely defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019.
Meanwhile, pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq have also been given until September 30 to hand over their weapons to the state. Some groups have rejected the demand, saying they will not surrender their weapons until the US military presence in Iraq has ended.
Analysts say the withdrawal of coalition forces and efforts to disarm armed groups represent a critical juncture for Iraq’s security and political landscape, particularly as US installations in the Kurdistan region have repeatedly been targeted in attacks linked to Iran.
Support HRNW’s independent journalism and humanitarian reporting.
Donate now: www.hrnww.com/?page_id=1083
