On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the last forces of the U.S.-led anti-jihadist coalition, which had been fighting the Islamic State (IS) since 2014, left Iraq. This marked the end of a military presence that began in 2014 and officially concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, as announced by the U.S. Department of Defense. The departure of coalition forces and equipment from the Erbil Air Base signified the successful conclusion of the mission that defeated the Islamic State group in Iraq. The mission, which had been deployed in Iraq and Syria in 2014, officially ended after 12 years of presence in Iraq, with the coalition having previously left Syria earlier in 2026. The withdrawal comes after the defeat of ISIS in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, following which international forces remained in place to combat the group's remnants. However, Baghdad and Washington decided in 2024 to end the mission. The coalition began its withdrawal from Iraq in 2025, limiting its presence to Erbil Airport, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. The departure of the last troops was scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi welcomed the end of the coalition's mission, calling it a "new stage" marked by the sovereignty of Iraq, the strength of its institutions, and balanced partnerships with its friends. The Iraqi national agency described the withdrawal as a major historical step in Iraq's journey toward full national sovereignty and the strengthening of its political and economic independence. However, the departure raises the issue of the disarmament of pro-Iranian factions, several of which still refuse to lay down their arms. The disarmament date for these groups, originally scheduled for September 30, has been postponed to June 2027, as promised by Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi. The withdrawal of the last forces of the international coalition marks the end of a military presence initiated in 2014. For the residents, this new stage should allow Iraq to regain its sovereignty, after years in which American bases and pro-Iranian armed factions contributed to tensions. Baghdad is preparing its forces to ensure the defense of the territory on their own, while pressuring armed groups to disarm, integrate into institutions, or dissolve their structures. The Iraqi daily newspaper Al-Mada noted that the most pressing question after the withdrawal would be what happens the day after, given the ongoing internal tensions and the unresolved issue of disarmament. The mission's official end was marked by a ceremony on Wednesday, with the authorities declaring four days of public holidays to celebrate the departure. However, the departure of the last troops has left the Kurds in concern, and some reports suggest that the withdrawal could benefit the regimes of the Mollah and the Islamic State. The context of the withdrawal includes ongoing war with Iran and escalation in Yemen.