From ISIS Fight to Full Pullout: Decade of US Mission in Iraq Ends

The United States first deployed forces to Iraq and Syria in 2014 to halt the rapid expansion of the Islamic State. After a sustained campaign, IS lost its territorial holdings in Iraq by 2017 and in Syria by 2019. Nonetheless, coalition troops lingered to address residual militants and assist Iraqi security forces. Over the years, the mission expanded into broader counter‑terrorism and stabilization efforts, but it also faced accusations of exacerbating regional instability. In early 2024, both Baghdad and Washington consented to phase out the operation, concentrating the remaining troops in the Kurdish autonomous area before completing the withdrawal in late September.