The United States has formally concluded its military mission against ISIS in Iraq, marking the end of the 12-year Operation Inherent Resolve while maintaining training and intelligence support for Iraqi security authorities. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the United States and its coalition partners officially ended the operation in Iraq on September 30, in line with the joint US-Iraqi statement issued in September 2024.
Parnell described the orderly withdrawal of coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base as the successful conclusion of the military mission against ISIS and an important milestone in the campaign to eliminate the group as an organized military threat in Iraq and the wider region, according to news agencies.
The move marks a transition from what Parnell called a “wartime coalition” mission to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a stable bilateral security relationship between Washington and Baghdad. Under the new arrangement, Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other security forces in the Kurdistan Region, are expected to take the lead in securing the country and confronting remaining ISIS elements.
The Pentagon will continue to provide training and intelligence support to Iraqi security authorities, while Washington says it remains committed to countering terrorism and working with Iraq and other partners to prevent ISIS from rebuilding its capabilities from Iraqi territory. The conclusion of Operation Inherent Resolve therefore ends the coalition’s military mission in Iraq but leaves the United States and Iraq with an ongoing security relationship centred on Iraqi-led counterterrorism efforts, training and intelligence cooperation.
