The last British and American troops have departed Iraq, ending a military presence spanning over a decade as part of the international coalition that fought the Islamic State group. This withdrawal, which concluded on Wednesday with the departure of around 100 remaining UK personnel from Irbil, marks the formal end of Operation Inherent Resolve and fulfils an agreement signed two years ago between the US and Iraqi government. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has declared that Iraq now assumes full responsibility for its own security and stability, with the country planning to observe "Sovereignty Days" as a national holiday to commemorate the withdrawal.

The coalition's departure comes after Iraqi and Kurdish forces secured the territorial defeat of IS in 2017, though international troops remained to prevent the group's resurgence; a recent UN report estimates IS currently operates with only several hundred fighters. However, Iraq faces ongoing security challenges from Iranian-backed militias, which intensified attacks on the coalition base during the US-Israel-Iran conflict earlier this year, with the base sustaining up to 28 drone and missile attacks daily at the height of the campaign. The new Prime Minister, who took office in May 2026, has pledged to disarm these militias, though several powerful factions have resisted his plans and may now seek to expand their influence in the absence of a US military presence.