The Iraqi government, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has announced its intention to remove the U.S.-led international military coalition from the country. The move follows recent events, including a U.S. strike that killed a militia leader in Baghdad, leading to increased demands from Iran-aligned groups to end the coalition’s presence in Iraq.
As of now, the United States has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq, primarily focused on advising and assisting local forces to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State, which seized significant parts of both countries in 2014 before being defeated.
Prime Minister Sudani’s office released a statement, stating, “The government is setting the date for the start of the bilateral committee to put arrangements to end the presence of the international coalition forces in Iraq permanently.” This committee would include representatives from the military coalition.
The recent U.S. strike in Baghdad, conducted in retaliation against attacks on U.S. personnel, has escalated tensions in the region. Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq and Syria, holding the U.S. partly responsible for their opposition to Israel’s campaign in Gaza, have expressed anger and called for the removal of the international coalition.
Prime Minister Sudani, who has limited control over some Iran-backed factions within his governing coalition, faces pressure to end the U.S. presence in Iraq. However, it remains unclear whether Friday’s announcement is primarily for internal political purposes or if the committee’s formation will lead to a definitive process to withdraw U.S. military forces from Iraq—a long-standing goal of Iran and its supported groups.
The U.S. administration, under President Joe Biden, initially refrained from responding to attacks in Iraq due to concerns about potential political backlash. However, the failure to rein in militia attacks against American personnel has prompted a more assertive approach from Washington.
The recent U.S. strike targeted Mushtaq Jawad Kazim al-Jawari, identified by the Pentagon as a leader of an Iran-backed terrorist group involved in planning and carrying out attacks against American personnel. The Iraqi government asserts that the killed commander was part of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a group of predominantly Shi’ite Muslim armed entities formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State.
The evolving situation underscores the complex dynamics in the region, with varying perspectives on the presence of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. As tensions rise, the fate of the coalition’s mission remains uncertain, posing challenges for both Iraqi and U.S. authorities in navigating this delicate geopolitical landscape.
