US Completes Withdrawal from Al Asad Base in Iraq
The United States has formally completed its withdrawal from the Al Asad airbase in western Iraq, according to a statement released by Iraq’s joint operations command on Saturday. This development marks a significant step in the ongoing reduction of American military presence in the region and follows increasing calls from Baghdad for a reassessment of the U.S. troop footprint in the country.
As reported in “US completes withdrawal from Al Asad airbase, Iraq says,” published by Military Times, the evacuation of American forces from Al Asad aligns with a broader bilateral agreement announced earlier this month. In that deal, U.S. and Iraqi officials committed to forming a joint military commission tasked with drawing up a timeline for the complete departure of U.S. and coalition forces engaged in Iraq under the global coalition against the Islamic State group.
The Al Asad base, located in Iraq’s western Anbar province, had served as a key site for American and allied operations since its expansion during the height of the U.S. military campaign against ISIS. Once home to thousands of U.S. military personnel, the base became increasingly symbolic of the durability and complexity of Washington’s military involvement in the region.
The decision to vacate Al Asad follows months of mounting political pressure in Baghdad, where nationalist and pro-Iranian factions in Parliament have called for a full withdrawal of foreign troops. The urgency intensified after the killing of Iran-backed militia leaders in U.S. airstrikes and tit-for-tat attacks between U.S. forces and Iranian-aligned militias across Iraq and Syria.
According to the Iraqi statement, the transfer of the base occurred “without any ceremonies,” underscoring the gravity and subdued nature of the transition. Iraqi security forces, the statement added, have now assumed full control of the facility.
Despite the withdrawal, U.S. Central Command has reiterated that American forces remain prepared to carry out targeted operations in support of Iraqi counterterrorism efforts. The broader framework of the joint commission implies that a residual U.S. advisory presence could be maintained for the foreseeable future, though clear timelines have yet to be publicly defined.
This latest redeployment reflects a broader recalibration of U.S. military commitments in the Middle East. While combat operations against ISIS have diminished in scale, American forces have increasingly found themselves entangled in region-wide proxy conflicts, including attacks launched by Iranian-backed groups in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.
The future of U.S. involvement in Iraq remains tied to strategic discussions between Washington and Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has sought to balance competing domestic and international pressures, emphasizing sovereignty while maintaining security cooperation with the U.S.
As Al Asad transitions to full Iraqi control, it remains to be seen whether the site will resume its pre-ISIS role as a hub for Iraqi Air Force and Army operations, or whether it will undergo further transformation in line with Iraq’s evolving security landscape.
The next steps in the withdrawal process are expected to be shaped by the ongoing work of the recently established joint commission. Both the U.S. and Iraqi governments have signaled a preference for a phased, deliberate approach to any further troop reductions, aiming to avoid a premature vacuum that could reignite instability in a region still recovering from years of militant insurgency.
