Baghdad - INA
The US Department of Defense confirmed that the international coalition's mission in Iraq will end by the end of September.
In a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the Department said that Secretary of Defense Pete Higseth met at the Pentagon—following meetings in the Oval Office—with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to discuss the international coalition to defeat ISIS, the end of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) mission in Iraq, and the future of US-Iraqi relations.
According to the statement, Secretary Higseth reaffirmed the United States' commitment to the full implementation of the joint statement issued in September 2024, which outlined the timeline for ending the international coalition's military mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq and concluding Operation Inherent Resolve by September 30.
The Secretary welcomed the Iraqi government's initiative to consolidate weapons, affirming Iraq's sovereignty and the authority of its supreme democratic leadership over all armed groups.