America leaves Iraq — again: US mission ends 12 years after troops returned to fight ISIS

More than 23 years after US-led forces invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein — and 12 years after American forces returned to stop ISIS from overrunning the country — the US-led coalition’s military mission ends September 30. Baghdad is marking the departure as “Sovereignty Day,” portraying it as a milestone in restoring Iraq’s independence after years of foreign military presence.

The symbolism is striking. US troops first withdrew in 2011, only to return in 2014 at Baghdad’s request after ISIS captured Mosul, routed Iraqi forces and seized vast areas of the country. American and coalition forces then trained and supported Iraqi and Kurdish forces in the campaign that dismantled ISIS’s territorial caliphate. Now, Iraqi officials say their forces are ready to take the lead.

But the withdrawal leaves a major question: who fills the security space left behind? Iran-aligned armed factions remain powerful, while Kurdish officials warn the departure comes at a “sensitive time” and could leave the Kurdistan Region more exposed to Iranian and militia attacks.

The US insists it is not abandoning Iraq, with military cooperation set to continue. But as the coalition mission ends, Baghdad faces a crucial test: containing ISIS remnants, bringing Iran-backed militias under state control and defending Iraq without coalition forces stationed in federal Iraq.