Exclusive: The last US soldier will leave Ain al-Asad base in mid-September.
An Iraqi security source revealed on Tuesday that the last US soldier will leave Ain al-Asad base in Anbar province, western Iraq, in mid-September, after which the international coalition headquarters at the base will be permanently closed.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that the Ain al-Assad base is scheduled to be permanently closed on September 15, explaining that US forces stationed in western Iraq will move to bases inside Syrian territory, while those in the capital, Baghdad, will move to alternative bases in Erbil in the Kurdistan Region.
The source added that a limited number of American personnel and leaders will remain within the joint forces in Baghdad as needed.
On Monday, the first phase of the withdrawal of US forces from the country to Syrian territory began.
An Iraqi security source told Shafaq News Agency that a US convoy, including trucks carrying military vehicles, had begun moving out of Ain al-Assad base.
Ain al-Asad Air Base is the second largest air base in Iraq after Balad Air Base. It is the headquarters of the US Army’s 7th Division and is located 10 kilometers from the Baghdadiyah district in Anbar Governorate.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Baghdad revealed that a “civilian” partnership between the international coalition and Iraq was close to being signed, coinciding with the planned “military” withdrawal by next September.
The spokesman said in a statement to the agency that the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (Operation Inherent Resolve) will transition from its military mission in Iraq to a more traditional bilateral security partnership, stressing the continuation of the coalition’s civilian-led efforts at the global level.
He emphasized that this shift does not mean the end of the international coalition’s work to defeat ISIS, but rather comes as part of a transition plan to enhance stability in Iraq through security partnerships and ongoing civilian cooperation.
A government source told Shafaq News Agency that Iraq has agreed with the international coalition countries, primarily the United States, on a timetable for ending the coalition’s mission. The timetable stipulates ending its presence with the central government in September 2025, leading to a full withdrawal in September 2026, with the number of its forces gradually reduced to less than 500 personnel, whose presence will be limited to Erbil, while the rest will be transferred to Kuwait.
Shafaq.com