Two Decade US Military Presence in Iraq Officially Ends Wednesday, September 30

The last US and international coalition forces left Iraqi territory on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (8 Mehr 1405), Khabar Online reported. Baghdad has designated this date as the official end of the coalition's military mission and the final deadline for its troop withdrawal, while Washington has confirmed the pullout is proceeding on the timetable agreed with the Iraqi government.

The US military presence in Iraq was not continuous: American forces first entered in 2003, withdrew at the end of 2011, and returned in 2014 under a different mission to fight ISIL. Combined, the two stints add up to roughly two decades by 2026. The final withdrawal process traces back to a 2021 agreement between then Prime Minister Mustafa al Kadhimi and President Joe Biden to end the US combat mission, and was completed under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani's government once a firm timetable was set. The withdrawal comes as Iraq is caught between US economic pressure on Iran and its own extensive trade and border ties with its neighbor.