US officially concludes 'Inherent Resolve' mission in Iraq

The United States has officially concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, the Pentagon reported.

"Today, the United States and our coalition partners officially concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq. [...] The phased withdrawal of coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base marks the successful completion of the military mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq," Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs, said in a statement.

The US expects Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to take responsibility for their own security and eliminate the remaining ISIS militants.

In 2024, Washington and Baghdad reached an agreement to end Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-led coalition mission against ISIS.

At the height of the Iraq War in 2007, more than 170,000 US troops were stationed in the country. By December 2023, before an agreement on the withdrawal had been reached, the number had fallen to around 2,400, according to data from US Central Command.

Image: Thaier Al-Sudani / Reuters