US leaves Al Asad air base, Iraq assumes full control
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) trainees are seen during an exercise near Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 5, 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Sarah Zaler via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service - DVIDS)
BAGHDAD, Jan 17 - U.S. forces have withdrawn from Iraq's Ain al-Asad Airbase, which housed U.S.-led forces in Western Iraq, and the Iraqi army has assumed full control, the Iraqi defence ministry said on Saturday.
In 2024, Washington and Baghdad reached an understanding on plans for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq and a move towards a bilateral security relationship.
Ain al-Asad has hosted U.S. and coalition troops for years and has been repeatedly targeted by Iran-backed armed groups during periods of heightened regional tensions, including after the 2020 U.S. killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
An Iraqi army colonel confirmed the U.S. forces withdrawal from the base, saying there were a few soldiers remaining due to some logistical issues. He did not give further details for security reasons.
It was not immediately clear when the withdrawal started, but the initial plan stipulated that hundreds of troops would leave by September 2025, with the rest departing by the end of 2026.
(Reporting by Muayad Kenany and Ahmed Rasheed. Writing by Jaidaa Taha. Editing by Mark Potter // REUTERS)
