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US says Iraq troop withdrawal complete; militia disarmament pushed to June 2027

The Pentagon said on 30 September that all US forces had left Iraq, ending the 12-year anti-ISIS mission under a 2024 deal. Baghdad has moved its militia disarmament target to June 2027, and outlets differ on the security risk.

31 outlets · 12L · 10C · 9R First reported Account updated

Updated (version 7). New coverage since the last version from JNS, Just the News, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, New York Post, The Conversation, The Hill, The Jerusalem Post. Previously: “US completes Iraq troop withdrawal; militia disarmament deadline pushed to June 2027”.

Image: Deutsche Welle
Image: The Conversation
Image: Washington Examiner
Image: Al Jazeera
Image: Just the News
Image: France 24
Image: The Straits Times
Image: ABC News

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The story, neutrally told

The Pentagon said on 30 September that US troops and equipment had made an "orderly departure" from Erbil Air Base in Iraq's Kurdistan region, ending Operation Inherent Resolve. The exit follows a 2024 agreement with Baghdad, reached under President Joe Biden, and was carried out while the US is at war with Iran. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell called it the success of a campaign that defeated ISIS "as an organised military threat" and said responsibility for remaining ISIS cells and Iran-aligned militias now rests with Iraq, with the US giving targeted training and intelligence support.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said the end of the mission did not end the fight against terrorism but marked Iraq assuming full responsibility for its security, and the government held "Sovereignty Day" celebrations. Reports give different troop figures: Fox News says about 2,500 US troops had remained, Al Jazeera says a few hundred foreign troops, and the BBC says about 100 UK personnel left alongside the US. Baghdad had tied the 30 September date to disarming militias, but al-Zaidi has moved the target to 30 June 2027, starting with a 90-day period in which armed groups halt attacks.

Kataib Hezbollah and Nujaba say they will not disarm until foreign troops leave, while Kataib Hezbollah's Abu Mujahid al-Assaf hailed the exit and warned any government not working for the people "will be overthrown by all means". Reuters-based coverage says officials and analysts fear a security vacuum that could embolden Iran-backed militias and give Islamic State an opening, and Kurdish officials say the removal of US air defences leaves the region exposed. Fox News, citing a Defense Intelligence Agency assessment, says ISIS in Iraq remains severely degraded, and the BBC cites a UN estimate of several hundred fighters able to carry out only unsophisticated operations.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left12 outlets

Framing
Focuses on the end of a two-decade intervention and its uncertain aftermath amid the Iran war, including Kurdish concerns and Trump's remarks.
Emphasis
Kurdish anxiety over air defences, Iran's gain, militia rejection of timelines, and the Biden-agreed, Trump-executed timing.
Leaves out or plays down
Gives less weight to US intelligence assessments of ISIS's degraded state.
Charged language
“very expensive excursion into Hell”
For example
“The departure represents a precarious new phase of security in Iraq” — Al Jazeera
“Trump celebrates US military exit from Iraq as the end of a ‘very expensive excursion into Hell’” — The Independent
“raising fears about what might fill the vacuum as the Iran war grinds on.” — NBC News

Centre10 outlets

Framing
Reports the handover and Iraqi government statements, pairing celebration with doubts about militias and the post-coalition period.
Emphasis
Al-Zaidi's and adviser Qassim Al Araji's statements, militia reactions, UK involvement, and the Iraq-wide divide over whether ISIS still threatens.
Leaves out or plays down
Less on US domestic political framing.
Charged language
“Sovereignty Day”“militias claim victory”
For example
“The withdrawal is being portrayed as a victory for Iran-backed militias” — The National
“several powerful factions have resisted his plans and could now see their influence grow without the US presence.” — BBC News

Right9 outlets

Framing
Stresses Iran-backed militias and the unfinished disarmament, with some pieces warning of a vacuum and others noting ISIS's reduced threat.
Emphasis
Militia threats, Iran's proxy network, US casualties, and Biden-era origins of the deal.
Leaves out or plays down
Fox's reporting gives less space to Kurdish officials' concerns than other outlets.
Charged language
“emboldening Iran’s proxies and Islamic State”“botched”“controversial”
For example
“US forces exit Iraq, emboldening Iran’s proxies and Islamic State” — The Straits Times
“Baghdad's effort to disarm some of the groups that have targeted those forces remains unfinished.” — Fox News
“The U.S. withdrew without a firm resolution on militia disarmament.” — Washington Examiner