Shiite militias celebrate US troop withdrawal from Iraq as historic victory
Quick Look
Shiite militias in Iraq celebrated the complete withdrawal of US troops as a historic victory and crushing defeat for the American project, with commanders from Islamic Resistance in Iraq and Kataib Hezbollah declaring the expulsion of occupation forces as the beginning of full Iraqi sovereignty, unlike the 2011 withdrawal.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
US troops had maintained a military presence in Iraq for a combined 20 years, with a previous withdrawal in 2011. Unlike that earlier departure, the current withdrawal is described as permanent by retired US Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Dennis Fritz.
Shiite militias hailed the complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq on Wednesday as a “historic victory” over Washington, which maintained a military presence in the country for a combined 20 years.
Commenting on the departure of US service members from Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq, Abu Mojtaba al-Yasiri, a commander of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, claimed that the event represented a “crushing defeat for the American project.”
Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a senior representative of another Shiite militia, Kataib Hezbollah, echoed his sentiment, saying that the “expulsion of the occupation forces, defeated, from the land of Iraq is the beginning of full sovereignty.”
Unlike in 2011, this time around US troops are leaving Iraq for good, retired US Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Dennis Fritz told RT, predicting that the American military footprint in the broader Middle East is bound to significantly diminish as well.
A number of Iraqi Shiite armed groups backed Iran after the US and Israel attacked the Islamic Republic in late February, firing missiles and drones at US military installations.
In its latest statement, Kataib Hezbollah warned the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi against complying with US sanctions targeting Iranian airlines that were introduced last week, as RT’s Salman Kujari reports.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The American military footprint in the broader Middle East will significantly diminish following the Iraq withdrawal.
Likely · Within months
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will face pressure from Kataib Hezbollah regarding compliance with US sanctions targeting Iranian airlines.
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What is the exact timeline for the complete removal of all US personnel and equipment from Iraq?
- How will the Iraqi government respond to Kataib Hezbollah's warning against complying with US sanctions on Iranian airlines?
- What specific military installations were targeted by Iraqi Shiite armed groups backed by Iran after the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February?
- Will the reduction of US military presence in the broader Middle East lead to increased instability or power vacuums in the region?
