Exclusive: Washington to retain only two bases in Iraq after withdrawal
Exclusive: Washington to retain only two bases in Iraq after withdrawal
2025-10-12
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Informed sources revealed on Saturday that the withdrawal of US forces is proceeding according to the timetable, while indicating that only two military bases housing a number of advisors will remain.
The sources told Shafaq News Agency, “The withdrawal of US forces will be within the agreed-upon timeframe, according to the security agreement concluded between Baghdad and Washington. Two bases will remain in Iraq, one in the town of Altun Kupri, which links Kirkuk and Erbil, and the second in the Harir district of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region.”
He added, “The aforementioned bases will include dozens of security advisors to provide the necessary support, if required. The number of advisors to remain at the two bases has not yet been decided, but it will be in accordance with the agreed-upon framework.”
Last August, the first phase of the US troop withdrawal from the country to Syria began , with the first US convoy departing from Ain al-Asad base in Anbar.
Ain al-Asad Air Base is the second largest air base in Iraq after Balad Air Base. It is the headquarters of the US Army’s 7th Division and is located 10 kilometers from the Baghdadiyya district in Anbar Governorate .
Earlier today, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Baghdad revealed the imminent signing of a “civilian” partnership between the international coalition and Iraq, coinciding with the planned “military” withdrawal by next September .
The spokesman said in a statement to the agency that the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (Operation Inherent Resolve) will transition from its military mission in Iraq to a more traditional bilateral security partnership, stressing the continuation of the coalition’s civilian-led efforts at the global level .
He emphasized that this shift does not mean the end of the international coalition’s work to defeat ISIS, but rather comes as part of a plan to transform Iraq through security partnerships and ongoing civilian cooperation .
A government source previously revealed to Shafaq News that the Iraqi government had agreed with the international coalition countries, led by the United States, to set a timetable for the start of withdrawing military forces and ending the coalition’s mission by September 2026 .
The source explained that the first phase of the agreement stipulates the end of the coalition’s duties with the central government in September 2025, including the withdrawal of forces from the Ain al-Asad base and the coalition mission headquarters in Baghdad, and the transfer of some forces and military equipment to Erbil and the rest to Kuwait .
He added that the second phase of the agreement includes a schedule for the full military withdrawal of the international coalition by September 2026. He noted that the number of international coalition forces, which previously numbered approximately 2,000 soldiers and advisors, will gradually decrease to less than 500 personnel, with their presence limited to Erbil, while the remaining number will move to Kuwait .
shafaq.com
