U.S. forces leave their last bases in Iraq: Tehran celebrates it as a victory, experts warn of a security vacuum

U.S. forces are withdrawing on Wednesday from their last bases in Iraq, raising fears that the departure will leave behind a security vacuum, further embolden Iran-backed militias and give the resurgent Islamic State group a chance to reorganise, as Reuters reports.

The departure, celebrated as a victory by Tehran and its allies, was agreed in 2024 and was implemented by the U.S. president’s administration, even though the United States is at war with Iran, which exerts influence in Iraq through proxy forces.

It comes 23 years after U.S.-led forces toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, sparking unrest and chaos that culminated in the rise of Islamic State. Although the departure of U.S. forces is widely popular among Iraqis, some fear that the security forces trained and funded by the United States still cannot defend the country, where 4,500 U.S. troops have lost their lives in more than 20 years of war.

Iran, which says its ultimate goal is to force U.S. forces out of the entire Middle East, presents the American withdrawal from Iraq as a triumph of the “axis of resistance” of armed allied groups in the region. Iraqi security officials also warn that the departure risks giving new life to Islamic State fighters, who, despite the destruction of their self-proclaimed caliphate almost a decade ago, maintain a network of sleeper cells.