Advisor to PM: Iraq to end coalition mission in Baghdad and Anbar this month

BAGHDAD — Iraq said the U.S.-led international coalition will end its mission in Baghdad and Anbar governorates this month, with remaining advisory tasks in the Kurdistan Region set to conclude in 2026 as part of a full transition to bilateral security partnerships.

Hussein Allawi, adviser to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, told 964media the timetable was outlined in a September 2024 joint statement confirmed by both the Iraqi and U.S. foreign ministries. “Coalition tasks in Baghdad and Anbar will end in September and shift to bilateral relations,” he said. “Advisers affiliated with the coalition in the Kurdistan Region will have their tasks transferred in 2026, and this is already underway.”

Allawi said Al-Sudani has made strengthening Iraq’s armed forces a priority to ensure stability after the transition. “The Iraqi government has moved toward securing the country and maintaining stability since 2022 until now,” he said.

He said new funding mechanisms have been established to modernize weapons and equipment. “There is a commitment from the commander-in-chief of the armed forces to build the Iraqi armed forces and develop their performance, as well as modernize weapons and their branches,” Allawi said. “The government succeeded in this through the Supreme Armament Committee by providing funds through the three-year budget and special financing for weapons.”

Readiness levels are regularly reviewed, he added. “Readiness is tested through reports issued by the Joint Operations Command, the army chief of staff, and the National Security Council,” he said.

Allawi noted Iraq’s forces now secure all six of the country’s international borders, while operations against ISIS continue in deserts, farmland, and mountain terrain. “The targeting cell in the Joint Operations Command works with the Iraqi intelligence community effectively against ISIS remnants and its senior leaders, in addition to operational commanders,” he said.

Training with international partners will remain central after the coalition’s mission ends, according to Allawi. “There is cooperation with the international community, whether with the international coalition, NATO, or the United States, in the field of training and capacity building, and it continues as a core priority,” he said. “Training produces very high readiness for the Iraqi armed forces, and we are moving forward in this direction.”

He added that the timeline was reinforced in recent high-level meetings. “During the meeting between the prime minister and the commander of U.S. Central Command, the path of transferring responsibilities and moving toward bilateral relations was made clear,” Allawi said.