US Central Command announces the completion of the withdrawal of its forces from Erbil Air Base in Iraq

Central Command "Centcom" said in a statement on the "X" platform, "This withdrawal comes within a planned transition towards a bilateral defense relationship between Washington and Baghdad, as the headquarters of the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) has moved to Jordan, where American forces continue the mission of combating ISIS in Syria in cooperation with coalition partners and the Syrian government."

The statement added: "Since its establishment in 2014, this force has undertaken the tasks of providing advice, assistance and empowerment to partner forces in the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria."

In this context, Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of Centcom, praised the efforts of tens of thousands of US military personnel, diplomats, and civilian employees who responded to the call in Iraq, saying that their “toughness, sacrifices, and professionalism” contributed to ISIS ceasing to pose a systematic threat to Iraqi national security, and for the Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other forces in the Kurdistan region, to possess the capacity, leadership, and operational independence necessary to manage the threats facing the country.

Cooper stressed that American and coalition forces deployed across the region will remain ready to respond to any potential threats from ISIS, adding: “As we step back and hand over full primary responsibility for Iraq’s security to the government of Iraq and its brave people... maintaining our vigilance and readiness remains essential to protecting the American homeland and strengthening regional security.”

US and coalition forces began withdrawing from federal Iraq last October, as part of a transition process that culminated in the evacuation of Erbil Air Base of personnel and equipment this September.

Located in northern Iraq, Erbil Air Base served as the main operational hub for the Combined Combined Joint Task Force and hosted most of the approximately 1,500 US and coalition personnel who were supporting counter-ISIS operations.