US military completes troop withdrawal from Iraq, ending 12-year mission

Sean Parnell: Sean Parnell is the Pentagon spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, handling official communications on military developments. He issued the statement confirming the orderly departure of U.S. forces from their final base in northern Iraq. His remarks emphasized the shift to an Iraqi-led security framework supported by ongoing bilateral ties. U.S. military: The U.S. military is the armed forces of the United States, including its various branches responsible for national defense and overseas operations. It has carried out the completed withdrawal of remaining troops and equipment from Iraq under a bilateral agreement with Baghdad. This action ends direct U.S. combat involvement in the region after the mission against ISIS. Mission Transition: The withdrawal shifts from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort in a more normal bilateral security relationship. Regional Reactions: Iran-backed groups in Iraq have celebrated the departure as advancing full sovereignty while issuing warnings to the Iraqi government. Kurdish Security Concerns: Officials in Iraq's Kurdish region have expressed anxiety over the removal of U.S. air defense systems amid ongoing regional threats.