President Donald Trump said the destruction of the Islamic State caliphate justified bringing American forces home from Iraq, declaring, “We came to fight a caliphate. There is no longer a caliphate. We are going home!” He called the withdrawal a victory for both countries and a “decisive victory over ISIS.”

US Central Command completed the departure of forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base on September 30, ending the 12 year Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq under a withdrawal agreement reached in 2024. US service members remain in diplomatic support, embassy security and training or advisory roles. The coalition task force remains operational from Jordan and continues operations against ISIS in Syria.

Iraq has drafted a plan to disarm all armed groups by June 2027, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said, with implementation timelines to be presented in the coming days. Resistance persists among Iran-aligned factions: Ashab al-Kahf declared that “the issue of handing over weapons is an illusion.” Iraq’s presidency said the coalition’s departure removed any justification for armed factions to retain their weapons.