US Forces leave Iraq after two decades of war

Baghdad: US forces are set to pull out of their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies, who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war.

Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal - agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by Donald Trump's administration even as it wages war against Iran - could give Tehran and its powerful allies greater freedom of action, while also allowing other US enemies, including Islamic State, to stage a comeback.

"Iran stands to benefit strategically from the coalition's departure because it removes a military presence that for years acted as a counterweight to Tehran's influence in Iraq," said Jasim al-Bahadli, an Iraqi security analyst specialising in Iran-aligned armed Shi'ite groups.