The U.S. Department of Defense reaffirmed its commitment to reducing its military presence in Iraq in a statement released on Tuesday. An American official indicated that this process will involve Iraq taking the lead in combating remnants of ISIS within its borders.
According to the official, the new strategy will shift the focus of the United States and its coalition partners to eliminating ISIS affiliates in Syria, with most troops being relocated to the Kurdistan region of Iraq for this mission.
At the beginning of 2025, there were approximately 2,500 American soldiers stationed in Iraq and over 900 in Syria, all part of the coalition established in 2014 to counter ISIS as it swept through the region.
The official noted that once the transition is complete, the total number of U.S. troops in Iraq will fall below 2,000, with the majority based in Erbil. While the final troop count has not yet been determined, no specific timeline for these changes has been provided.
The remaining American forces in Baghdad will concentrate on fostering bilateral security cooperation.