Baghdad: The withdrawal of American forces is proceeding according to the agreement.. and the first phase ends next September

The advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, Hussein Alawi, confirmed today, Friday (August 29, 2025), that the process of ending the tasks of American forces in Iraq is proceeding according to the agreement concluded between Baghdad and Washington, emphasizing that the Iraqi armed forces are capable of facing any security threats.

Alawi said in an interview with Al Arabiya/Al Hadath that "there are no fears of the return of ISIS," pointing out that "the number of its remaining elements is small and they are being pursued continuously." He added that the end of the American forces' tasks was supposed to take place since 2017, but previous political circumstances prevented that, until an agreement was reached during the government of Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani.

According to media sources, American forces are scheduled to begin withdrawing from the capital Baghdad tomorrow, Saturday, including the heavily fortified Green Zone that houses official headquarters and diplomatic missions, in addition to Baghdad Airport and the headquarters of the Joint Operations Command.

According to the agreement signed last year (2024), the United States will retain a limited number of its forces in the Kurdistan region for an additional year. The Iraqi government clarified that the first phase of the withdrawal will end in September 2025, with the second phase to be completed in 2026.

It is noteworthy that about 2,500 American soldiers are still present in Iraq as part of the international coalition to combat ISIS, with training and advisory missions. However, this presence has remained a subject of internal controversy and political pressure from some factions and armed groups, prompting the Iraqi government to open direct negotiations with Washington to end the coalition's mission.