Peregraf
The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that it is scaling back its military mission in Iraq, with most U.S. troops expected to be relocated to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, as Washington shifts the focus of its counter-ISIS operations.
According to Reuters, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the new plan would leave Baghdad in charge of combating the remnants of the Islamic State within Iraq, while U.S. and coalition forces will concentrate on threats emanating from neighboring Syria. That mission will largely be directed from Erbil.
At the beginning of 2025, the U.S. had about 2,500 troops stationed in Iraq and more than 900 in Syria. Under the transition plan, the total U.S. troop presence in Iraq will fall to fewer than 2,000, with the majority based in Erbil. A final figure has not yet been determined, and no timeline for the full transition was provided.
Officials emphasized that American forces in Baghdad will shift their role away from counter-ISIS operations and instead focus on broader security cooperation with Iraqi authorities.
“ISIS is no longer posing a sustained threat to the government of Iraq or to the U.S. homeland from Iraqi territory. This is a major achievement that enables us to responsibly transition to Iraq taking the lead on its own security,” a senior defense official said.
The repositioning highlights Erbil’s growing importance as a strategic hub for U.S. and coalition forces in the region. It also reflects Baghdad’s push to limit the risks posed by the presence of foreign troops, who are often targeted by Iran-backed groups.