Iraqi PM orders boost to air defenses as international coalition prepares to withdraw

BAGHDAD — Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani has ordered the military to equip itself with advanced air defense systems as part of preparations for the planned withdrawal of international coalition forces, according to a senior military official.

General Abdul Amir Yarallah, the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, announced this directive during a meeting with the parliamentary Finance Committee on Wednesday, where they discussed the Ministry of Defense’s operational and investment budget. “The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has ordered the army to be equipped with advanced air defense systems, as we prepare for the withdrawal of the international coalition forces,” Yarallah said.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani is expected to soon announce the official conclusion of the foreign forces’ mission in Iraq. Speaking to Bloomberg, he explained that “Iraq in 2024 is not the same as Iraq of 2014,” emphasizing that the original need for a coalition no longer exists. He added, “There is no longer a need for a coalition of 86 countries.”

While the coalition’s mission is set to end, Al-Sudani clarified that this does not mark the end of Iraq’s relationships with coalition members, including the United States. He noted that bilateral talks are ongoing to determine future cooperation.

Iraq and the U.S. have agreed on a two-year plan for the withdrawal of coalition forces, though the final agreement is pending, Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi said earlier this month.

The U.S. currently has around 2,500 military personnel in Iraq, a legacy of the coalition that was formed in 2014 to combat ISIS. While the group is significantly weaker, its fighters remain active. In late August, a joint raid between U.S. and Iraqi forces resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen ISIS militants in western Iraq.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October, Iran-backed militias in Iraq have targeted U.S. bases in the region.