US to end 23-year military presence in Iraq by September 30

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has announced that all US troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by September 30, a move that would bring an end to more than two decades of American military presence in the country following the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Speaking during an official visit to Washington, Al-Zaidi made the announcement after meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday (July 14).

Following the meeting, President Trump said the United States no longer sees a need to maintain troops in Iraq.

"We don't believe there's any longer a need for our military to remain in Iraq," Trump told reporters, while also highlighting the growing commercial engagement of US energy companies in the country.

Al-Zaidi confirmed that the military withdrawal would be completed by September 30, adding that American companies will continue their business operations in Iraq despite the departure of US forces.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon reaffirmed Washington's commitment to the 2024 US-Iraq security agreement, which outlines the gradual conclusion of the US-led anti-Islamic State (IS) mission. At the time the agreement was signed, around 2,500 US troops were stationed in Iraq.

The United States launched its military invasion of Iraq in 2003, leading to the fall of Saddam Hussein's government. Since then, American forces have remained in the country through various security and counterterrorism missions.