Iraq Announces the End of the Military Presence of the International Coalition on Its Territory

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The official spokesperson for the Security Media Cell in Iraq, Major General Saad Maan, stated that Iraq's receipt of the main headquarters of U.S. forces at Baghdad International Airport, along with the agreement with Turkey for the withdrawal of Turkish military forces from the Bashiqa base in Nineveh province, confirms the possibility of continuing security cooperation with international partners based on mutual respect and in a manner that preserves the independence of the Iraqi decision.

Maan told the government newspaper "Al-Sabah" published today, Monday, "The government has become the one with the upper hand and the sole decision-maker in determining the nature of military and security presence on the country's territory."

He added, "Strengthening Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity, along with its independent management of its security file, form the fundamental pillars for the stability of the country and advancing its regional and international relations towards broader horizons of fruitful cooperation."

For his part, the commander of the Iraqi Air Force, Major General Pilot Khaled Al-Tamimi, stated today, Monday, that there are no coalition forces carrying out duties within Iraqi territory since the beginning of 2026.

Al-Tamimi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "all air missions within Iraq are carried out completely independently of the international coalition, and Iraqi F-16 aircraft have conducted missions for more than 10 days without foreign intervention, and the maintenance of F-16 aircraft is carried out by Iraqi personnel 100 percent."

He mentioned that "Iraqi drones have replaced coalition aircraft in reconnaissance missions, and we have a complete aerial survey daily of all Iraqi territories, and the air force has carried out 58,822 missions during the war against ISIS gangs."

He confirmed that "the threat of terrorism is currently very limited thanks to the vigilance of citizens and security and air capabilities, and Iraq is negotiating with other countries to acquire advanced aircraft, including Rafale, and we seek to build a larger air force that enjoys a distinguished position in the region."

Al-Tamimi noted that "there are attempts to locally manufacture drones and establish a special command for this weapon, and Iraq has conducted an advanced air exercise with the participation of France, Italy, the USA, and Jordan, and we have a comprehensive system to deal with hostile targets and protect Iraqi airspace."

It is expected that Iraq will close the chapter on cooperation with the international coalition to support Iraq in fighting ISIS on the 30th of this month, ending the presence of combat forces, and transitioning to bilateral relations based on agreements with some coalition countries to support armament programs, train security forces, and enhance their readiness to face challenges.