The U.S. military declared the formal conclusion of Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Department of Defense spokesman Sean Parnell announced that all U.S.-led coalition forces and equipment have been withdrawn from Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq. The announcement marks the transition from a 12-year campaign to a bilateral security relationship where Iraqi forces will lead ongoing counter-ISIS efforts.
Operation Inherent Resolve was established in October 2014 to confront ISIS, which had seized large territories in Iraq and Syria. The group, also known as Da’esh, was declared militarily defeated as an organized threat in the region after losing its final physical territory in March 2019. The withdrawal follows a 2024 joint agreement between the U.S. and Iraq to phase out the multi-country coalition by 2025 and end the Inherent Resolve mission by late 2026.
Military officials reported that roughly 2,000 U.S. service members were stationed in Iraq as of February 2026, down from a peak of more than 160,000 during the late 2000s. Approximately 1,500 personnel previously operating in Syria withdrew earlier in 2026. Despite the formal end of the mission, Parnell stated the U.S. would continue providing targeted training and intelligence support to Iraqi partners, including the Kurdish Peshmerga.
The Iraqi government designated September 30 as "Sovereignty Day," declaring a three-day national holiday to celebrate. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's spokesperson, Sabah al-Numan, stated that national security forces are capable of maintaining stability. However, some regional analysts and minority groups expressed concern regarding the government's ability to manage remaining security threats and the influence of Iran-backed militias.
The transition carries specific implications for Iraq's military capabilities and regional stability. Local analysts such as Saman Noah noted that Iraq currently lacks adequate air defenses to protect its own airspace and remains reliant on American weaponry that requires ongoing maintenance support. Additionally, Prime Minister al-Zaidi has extended the deadline for disarming Iran-backed militias to June 2027, following more than 600 recorded attacks by these groups against U.S. facilities between February and April 2026.
The conclusion of Operation Inherent Resolve sets a precedent for shifting from a 77-nation international coalition to a bilateral agreement. While the U.S. military declares ISIS defeated as an organized military threat, the group continues to launch sporadic attacks, such as one in December 2025 that killed two U.S. soldiers. Moving forward, the Government of Iraq assumes the primary role in preventing an ISIS resurgence, while the U.S. maintains a commitment to counterterrorism through training and intelligence sharing.