A significant sudden US withdrawal from Iraq is now underway. American forces unexpectedly began leaving major bases. This move dramatically speeds up a planned coalition exit. A top Iraqi official confirmed the news. The evacuation started suddenly on Sunday morning. Forces are pulling out from two strategic locations. These are the Ain al-Asad and Victory Base Complexes. The American Embassy itself issued the withdrawal order. This action contrasts sharply with recent official statements.
Therefore, the withdrawal is happening in organized phases. Some troops left the bases this morning. The sprawling Ain al-Asad base is in Anbar province. Furthermore, the Victory Base Complex is near Baghdad’s airport. A high-level government source provided these details. The source spoke to Kurdistan24 correspondent Dilan Barzan. However, they expect a complete evacuation within just a few days. Approximately two thousand troops were at Ain al-Asad. Additional soldiers were stationed at the VBC.
Moreover, many withdrawn troops relocated to Erbil. Erbil is the capital of the Kurdistan Region. Furthermore, this redeployment suggests a consolidation of forces. However, the reason for the haste remains unclear. Consequently, this sudden US withdrawal from Iraq raises immediate questions. It directly contradicts the timeline announced one week ago.
However, officials described a very different plan last Sunday. Prime Ministerial Advisor Hussein Alawi spoke then. He said Iraq reached an agreement with coalition countries. Their mission would end on a specified timeline. This timeline spanned all of 2025 and 2026. The coalition would leave mission headquarters in Baghdad first. Then they would depart from Ain al-Asad base in September 2025. That official date is a full month away. Today’s action makes that timeline irrelevant.
In addition, Alawi previously framed the drawdown as collaborative and deliberate. He emphasized the Iraqi government’s commitment to its program. This program involves building up the Iraqi armed forces. It also plans for ending the coalition’s mission. The goal is a stable, bilateral defense relationship. Alawi said a new phase of cooperation would start after September. This new phase would focus on advice and capacity building.
Moreover, he also underscored stabilizing relations under existing agreements. The strategic framework agreement between Iraq and the US provides this umbrella. Furthermore, the entire coalition mission was set to end completely in September 2026. This sudden US withdrawal from Iraq now changes everything. It accelerates the process unexpectedly. The pace and circumstances of this realignment are now in doubt. Observers are seeking answers for the abrupt change.
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