Last US forces withdraw from Iraq - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Iraqis are celebrating the complete withdrawal of US forces from their country, 12 years since the American-led mission to fight the Islamic State group started.

The US President Donald Trump described the war as a quagmire and a bad decision, while also declaring victory over IS.

Analysts say while the group has been greatly diminished, it still has some influence, including in Australia, as demonstrated by an Islamic State-related arrest in Melbourne just last week.

Members of the Iraqi security forces drive in a convoy through the city as they celebrate the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces from Iraq, ending a military presence that began after the 2003 US-led invasion, in Najaf, Iraq, September 30, 2026.(Reuters: Alaa Al-Marjani)