Iraq’s military says it will take control of the strategic Ain al-Assad airbase in Anbar as soon as next week, marking the end of the US-led coalition’s mission and the latest step in a yearslong drawdown and realignment of foreign forces in the country, according to reporting by Rudaw.
Why it matters
Ain al-Assad is the largest and most significant facility used by U.S. forces in Iraq, central to the campaign against ISIS and emblematic of Washington’s security role since 2014. The base has also been a flashpoint in U.S.-Iran tensions; Tehran launched ballistic missiles at Ain al-Assad in 2020 following the U.S. strike that killed IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Its handover underscores Baghdad’s push to assert greater control over security while transitioning foreign military roles into bilateral arrangements with Western partners. Regional outlets, including the Qatar News Agency, have closely followed developments reflecting wider regional interest in the shift.
What to know
- Iraq expects to begin 2026 with U.S. forces leaving Ain al-Assad. The base served as a central hub for the U.S.-led coalition during the war against ISIS, which saw U.S. troops operate from multiple facilities including Camp Taji and sites in Baghdad before consolidating largely in the Kurdistan Region amid rising militia attacks from 2019 onward.
- Iraqi Deputy Commander of the Joint Operations Command, Lieutenant General Qais al-Muhammadawi, said the coalition mission “has ended,” noting the focus is moving to bilateral memoranda with the United States, France, Britain, and Italy. He added there are no coalition personnel remaining at Ain al-Assad and that a timetable is set for a full handover next week, according to Iraqi army statements reported by Rudaw.
- Rudaw also reported that roughly 1,500 American and coalition personnel remain in the Kurdistan Region, representing seven countries—principally the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy.
- Iraqi officials say ISIS has been degraded: “ISIS has lost its ability to plan, operate, control territory, or impact security. In 2025, only four ineffective attacks were recorded, compared to 42 in 2024,” Muhammadawi said. This comes as U.S. oversight has documented the coalition’s evolving mission, including training and stabilization support, in the State Department Inspector General’s latest Operation Inherent Resolve oversight report.
What people are saying
- “The coalition’s mission has ended, and the focus has shifted toward concluding bilateral international memoranda and understandings… There are no coalition personnel remaining at the Assad base, and next week will witness a complete withdrawal and the handover of the base to Iraqi forces,” Lieutenant General Qais al-Muhammadawi said, per Rudaw.
- The U.S. Defense Department has signaled continuity of counterterrorism cooperation in Iraq and Syria, affirming its commitment to maintain anti-ISIS missions.
- United States envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya posted a New Year’s prediction that Iranian-backed militias would be removed from Iraq, reflecting Baghdad’s ongoing political and security recalibration.
- Regional media, including Iranian and Turkish outlets as well as the Qatar News Agency, have spotlighted the handover amid broader interest in the scope of any continuing U.S. presence in the Kurdistan Region, where the United States maintains a large consulate.
What happens next
Iraq’s Joint Operations Command plans the formal transfer of Ain al-Assad to Iraqi security forces next week, with timelines to finalize remaining drawdown steps. Baghdad intends to codify future security cooperation via bilateral agreements with the United States and European partners. U.S. and coalition personnel are expected to remain in the Kurdistan Region to support ongoing training and counter-ISIS coordination.
The transition unfolds as Iraq prepares to appoint a new prime minister and as neighboring Iran and Turkey watch closely. Iraqi Kurdistan is likely to remain a focal point of U.S. engagement. Meanwhile, Kurdish Iranian dissident groups such as the PDKI say they back protests inside Iran, underscoring how Iraq’s internal security posture intersects with regional political dynamics.
