US, coalition partners end 12-year military mission in Iraq: Pentagon

The Pentagon announced Wednesday that the United States and coalition partners have formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, ending a 12-year military campaign that began after ISIS seized large areas of the country in 2014. Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said the “orderly departure” of coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base marked the “successful conclusion” of the mission that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat.

“This milestone reflects the success of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region,” Parnell said in a statement issued Wednesday. The development aligns with the September 2024 US-Iraq joint statement establishing a timeline for the coalition's withdrawal and the normalization of bilateral security relations.

Security Transition

The conclusion marks a shift from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a more normal bilateral relationship, Parnell noted. “We expect the Iraqi Security Forces, including the Peshmerga and other security forces in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, to lead the continuing effort to secure Iraq and keep ISIS remnants suppressed,” he said, adding that the Department of Defense will continue providing “targeted training and intelligence support” to Iraqi partners.

“The primary responsibility for addressing Iraq’s remaining security challenges, including ISIS remnants and Iran-aligned militias that undermine Iraqi sovereignty and regional stability, now rests with the Government of Iraq,” Parnell stated. He emphasized that Washington remains committed to counterterrorism cooperation and will work with Baghdad to ensure ISIS “can never reconstitute from Iraqi territory.”

Strategic Context

Baghdad and Washington agreed in September 2024 to terminate the coalition's military mission under a timetable extending through September 2026, transitioning toward bilateral security ties between Iraq and individual coalition member states. The US-led coalition formed in 2014 provided Iraqi forces with air support, intelligence and training during operations that culminated in Baghdad's announcement of full territorial control in December 2017.

Parnell said the United States supports “a strong sovereign Iraq” that secures its borders and protects its people, serving as the foundation for “deeper commercial, diplomatic, and security cooperation” between the two countries. The withdrawal comes as Iraqi authorities assume full responsibility for counterterrorism operations against remaining militant cells and armed groups aligned with Iran.