Reuters: Iraq-U.S. reach an agreement on withdrawal of Coalition forces

Shafaq News/ The United States and Iraq have reached a preliminary agreement on the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq, Reuters quoted sources familiar with ongoing negotiations on Friday.

The plan, which has been broadly agreed but awaits final approval and a formal announcement, would see several hundred troops depart by September 2025, with the remaining forces set to leave by the end of 2026, sources said.

“We have an agreement. It's now just a question of when to announce it,” a senior U.S. official said.

Discussions are also underway to establish a new advisory role that could see a smaller number of U.S. troops remain in Iraq following the drawdown, sources added.

An official announcement was initially expected weeks ago but was delayed due to regional tensions stemming from Israel's war in Gaza and remaining logistical details, according to sources, including five U.S. officials, two coalition representatives, and three Iraqi officials, all speaking on condition of anonymity.

Technical negotiations between Baghdad and Washington, initiated by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in January, have concluded. Farhad Alaaldin, the prime minister's foreign affairs adviser, said the talks marked a shift in the U.S.-Iraq relationship, emphasizing future bilateral cooperation in military, security, economic, and cultural sectors. Alaaldin did not comment on the specifics of the plan.

The agreement follows months of rising tensions, including attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi militias on U.S. forces, which have killed three American troops and injured dozens more. U.S. forces have retaliated with airstrikes, complicating efforts to stabilize Iraq after years of conflict.

The U.S. currently has 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria, part of a coalition formed in 2014 to combat Islamic State. While Islamic State has been territorially defeated in Iraq since 2017, U.S. forces remain to support operations against the group in Syria.

Under the terms of the deal, coalition forces will leave the Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar province and scale back operations in Baghdad by September 2025. Some U.S. and coalition forces are expected to remain in Erbil, in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, until the end of 2026 to support ongoing operations in Syria.

The drawdown signals a shift in U.S. military presence in the region. While initially aimed at countering Islamic State, U.S. forces have become increasingly focused on deterring Iranian influence, particularly in light of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.

Prime Minister al-Sudani has emphasized that U.S. troops, while helpful, have become a target for instability, with attacks on their bases prompting uncoordinated retaliatory strikes. For the U.S., the two-year timeline allows flexibility for adjustments should the regional security situation evolve, a U.S. official said.